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Heat

Mike Lupica

2006220 pagesabout 3–5 hours
2006
first published
  • 2006Philomel Books · 220 pages · ENGISBN 9780399243011
  • 2008Penguin Group USA, Inc. · ENGISBN 9781429527095
  • 2007Puffin · 220 pages · ENGISBN 9780142407578

**Michael Arroyo has a pitching arm that throws serious heat. But his firepower is nothing compared to the heat Michael faces in his day-to-day life. Newly orphaned after his father led the family's escape from Cuba, Michael's only family is his seventeen-yearold brother Carlos. If Social Services hears of their situation, they will be separated in the foster-care system—or worse, sent back to Cuba. Together, the boys carry on alone, dodging bills and anyone who asks too many questions. But then someone wonders how a twelve-year-old boy could possibly throw with as much power as Michael Arroyo throws. With no way to prove his age, no birth certificate, and no parent to fight for his cause, Michael's secret world is blown wide open, and he discovers that family can come from the most unexpected sources.**

How it reads

Worth knowing

Written forMiddle grade

When and where

ThemesFamily
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