But that was just it, Derek realized now. Even if he hadn’t made the team, or won the talent show, or beaten Gary out on those tests—he still wouldn’t have failed. Not really. Look at all he’d learned along the way—including how to budget his time better!

No, the only failure would have been if he was too scared to even try—if he’d turned down the chance to be in the talent show, just because he might fail. Or if he hadn’t bothered to show up for tryouts, lest someone beat him out for the spot on the team.

“You can’t succeed if you don’t try,” he said to himself, thinking of Gary Parnell. “Oh well—it takes all kinds to make a world.”

He closed his eyes and let himself drift off toward sleep.

Tomorrow was the start of the new basketball season! Dreams of on-court heroics with Dave and Sam filled his head.…

“He shoots… he SCORES!!!”

JETER PUBLISHING

Jeter Publishing’s sixth middle-grade book is inspired by the childhood of Derek Jeter, who grew up playing baseball. The middle-grade series is based on the principles of Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation.

Jeter Publishing encompasses adult nonfiction, children’s picture books, middle-grade fiction, ready-to-read children’s books, and children’s nonfiction.

More from this Series
Wind Up	Grand Slam
Strike Zone	Ida B. Wells
Michael Collins	Born Just Right

About the Authors

DEREK JETER played Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees for twenty seasons, during which time he won five World Series. Considered one of the greatest shortstops of all time, Derek has been a role model to young people on the field and off—thanks largely to the work of his Turn 2 Foundation. (For more information, visit Turn2Foundation.org.) Though he grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, he often envisioned himself playing shortstop for the Yankees. Derek knows the power of a dream.

PAUL MANTELL is the author of more than one hundred books for young readers.

Learn more about Jeter Publishing at JeterPublishing.com.

Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids

Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Derek-Jeter

Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Paul-Mantell

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Simon & Schuster • New York

ALSO BY DEREK JETER

The Contract

Hit & Miss

Change Up

Fair Ball

Curveball

Baseball Genius

Double Play