Reading Group Guide

Walk-Off

By Derek Jeter with Paul Mantell​

Prereading Assignment

Review “Derek Jeter’s Ten Life Lessons.” They are listed in the front of the book.

Discussion Questions

Chapter 1—New Beginnings
Derek Jeter is returning to school after spring break, and he realizes it’s just a few more weeks until finals. There’s a lot on his plate, but Derek is excited to start the new baseball season. However, he will miss his good friend, Vijay, who has decided to quit in this final season.

What challenges do you think Derek Jeter will face as he tries to balance playing on the travel team and his Little League team?

Why is Derek so concerned about Vijay quitting baseball and about joining him in video game competitions? What will he do without his best friend, Vijay, on the team? Could Derek really juggle video games, Little League, the travel team, and schoolwork?

Chapter 2—All Shook Up

After spring break, a new special project is announced, designed to help students deal with new and difficult challenges. They have four weeks to complete a substantial assignment. Later that day, Mrs. Jeter comes home with some big news.

What is the topic of the major project, and what are the assignment requirements? Explain the details.

What is the great news Derek’s mom has for the family, and how does each family member react to her surprise? What major family decision is decided after they discuss the good news? What is Derek’s reaction? Explain his response.

Chapter 3—The Next Level

At practice, Coach Russell comments on Derek’s growth spurt and mentions that he’ll be having everyone try out different positions on the team this season. Later in the week, after Derek runs into Vijay in the library, he learns that his friend hasn’t even started their big research project.

Why do you think Coach Russell plans to rotate the players of the travel team around the diamond? Why is Derek concerned about this development?

Why do you think Derek is surprised to learn that that Vijay has not begun his term project research? Was it a good idea to put the term assignment on hold to play video games? Explain why or why not.

Chapter 4—Big League, Little League

Derek is very concerned about his overlapping schedules with his travel team and local Little League. After the Little League’s first win of the season, Derek and Coach Hamilton lament over the schedule, as Derek and his family have said the travel team would be the priority.

List two game plays that Derek accomplishes that causes his team to cheer and his coach to call him MVP. Why is Derek uncomfortable with this expression?

Using a Venn diagram, compare characteristics between the Reds Little League team and the West Siders travel team.

Derek missing so many games impacts game strategies, player placement on the field, and the batting lineup throughout the season. Discuss as a group the pros and cons of this situation. Consider bringing in another teacher or a team sport coach to add to the debate. What are the differing responses between the students’ and the adults’ recommendations?

Chapter 5—Fantasy and Reality

The Jeters are getting ready to look at houses for sale in their quest for a larger home for their family, but Derek asks to stay behind with Vijay, promising to work on their school project. His parents and sister return from house hunting excited about the spaces they’ve seen, and Derek is disturbed, as he’d hoped they wouldn’t find anything they liked.

What happens when Derek and Vijay begin working on the school assignment? What topic does each student select? What is the determining factor for Derek’s choice?

Why do you think Derek is so disturbed by his family’s excitement over these new houses? Why doesn’t he want to move away from Mount Royal?

Chapter 6—Losing the Groove

It’s the first game for Derek’s travel team, the West Siders, and the crowd is buzzed and tensions high. There are a lot of great plays in the game, strategies employed to the West Siders’ success, as well as some errors, mistakes, and even a “hit” batter, dampening Derek’s excitement for their win.

What happens when a large, powerful-looking player on the opposing team takes his turn at bat? How does Derek react? How does he feel about the result?

List two plays that make the game exciting for the players and the fans. Select one that positively impacts the Lakers score and select another that impacts the West Siders’ score. Explain why Derek is disappointed at the end of the game. Be brief and specific.​
Chapter 7—Hooked?

Struggling to narrow his school project’s addiction assignment, Derek turns to his father for help and advice. Afterward, Derek feels confident about his topic and asks Mr. Jeter if he can go to the video game arcade with his friend Vijay, stating it would be a perfect opportunity to research the project.

What topics does Derek consider for his term project? How does his dad help support his decision?

What is his father’s warning? How long does he allow Derek to play the games at the arcade?

Chapter 8—The Lion’s Den

Traveling away for a game with the West Siders is very different than what Derek is used to, and even his position on the field is changed around. He is so thrown off, he strikes out his first two at-bats, and Coach Russell makes his disappointment known. After the game, Derek is excited to join his friends at the arcade and notices that his friends all seem a bit hypnotized by the flashing lights and dark atmosphere of the space.

During the disappointing travel team game with the Lions, Derek was certainly distracted. What factors contributed to his distraction, and do you think that affected his game play?

Why do you think Mr. Jeter set a playtime limit for Derek at the arcade? What did Derek experience in his time there? What was surprising to him, and what did he regret?

Chapter 9—Houses and the Haunted

The house hunt continues for the Jeter family, and Derek wants nothing to do with it, but as they are narrowing down their choices, his parents insist their son be present at the showings. But Derek doesn’t want to move away, and this manifests in a very bad attitude, with him snapping at his sister all afternoon and being rude to others.

Have you ever had to move away from your home or needed to change schools? Describe the situation. Include in your description how the process made you feel.

What advice does Mrs. Jeter offer Derek? What does she share about life’s changes and challenges?

Chapter 10—Fighting Through It!

At the next West Siders travel team game, Derek’s mom helps him focus and get his head in the game. It helps that he is back in his regular shortstop position, and even at bat, Derek feels better about his skills and uses his knowledge of the game to make a quick, successful decision.

What was the quick little phrase Mrs. Jeter used to motivate her son, just before the game started?

What did Derek do for his team walk-off in the sixth inning?

Chapter 11—Doing the Work

Coach Russell isn’t happy with Derek’s batting slump in the last few games and drops him down in the batting order to emphasize his concerns. He asks Derek to spend more time practicing and improving his swing and even suggests asking Mr. Jeter for help with the situation. In the meantime, the deadline for the addiction project at school is approaching, and Derek is realizing how big a project it really is.

Why is Derek concerned about fitting practice at the batting cages into his schedule? What does Mr. Jeter suggest when Derek asks him for help?

What is Mr. Jeter’s observation? Why does he think Derek is experiencing such a problem with his batting skills? In what way have the video games affected Derek?

Chapter 12—Double Header

This weekend is a double header for Derek: Little League Reds in the morning, and travel team West Siders in the afternoon. It is a little awkward on the Little League team, though, having missed so many games due to the travel team’s schedule, but Derek still tries his best. At the West Siders’ game, Coach Russell compliments Derek’s field work.

Mr. Jeter had a few words of advice for Derek as they drove to the afternoon game with the West Siders. What did he recommend? Be specific.

What response did Coach Russell give Derek when Derek asked him about his “at the plate” during the game?

Chapter 13—Close to Home

During the weekend, Derek is excited to visit with Vijay and play video games away from the stress of competitive baseball and his big addiction assignment. He is, however, very concerned to hear that Vijay has barely started his own project. Later, Derek is dragged back out to look at more houses and can’t find anything he likes about any of the options his family visits.

Derek’s friend Vijay is usually a straight A student. Why is Derek so worried about his good friend’s lack of motivation?

Why is Derek only interested in the possibility of moving once his dad mentions a house might neighbor a school’s athletic fields?

Chapter 14—The Road to Redemption

Derek sits down to contemplate his research on video game addiction for his school project and realizes he’s not only seen the negative effects on his friends and within himself, but also some positive attributes to playing video games. Later, he realizes that playing with the Reds, his Little League team, has renewed his sense of purpose. Despite his teammates’ teasing for missing games, he feels more confident among his friends.

List a few advantages and disadvantages to playing video games at home and in a public place, like an arcade. What are some factors to be aware of when perfecting the necessary skills needed for success or failure in the video game arena. List at least three specific points.

What causes Derek’s new feeling of confidence and expectation? What is the result and the final score of the game?

Chapter 15—The Main Event

It’s a big game for the West Siders that will define their league ranking. Coach Russell asks Derek a surprising question. After the West Siders win, Derek’s father is very proud of him, and Derek discovers he’s in for a greater surprise.

Describe the conversation Coach Russell has with Derek that surprises him. How does this lead to an important revelation for Derek?

Define déjà vu. Describe the big déjà vu moment for Derek. How does the experience fit the definition?

Chapter 16—Facing the Music

Tension is high during the West Siders’ next game against the league’s first-place team, but Derek and his teammates play like a finely tuned machine, resulting in a record-setting game of the season and landing them in the number one spot in the league.

How does Jeter prepare mentally for his “at bat with two outs” situation in the game with the league-leading Mets? What are the results? Why is this performance a timely and important opportunity?

Challenges met and championships secured, the Jeter family is finally able to settle down for a quiet celebration. What do both Derek and Sharlee have to celebrate? When is Derek’s birthday and how old is he at this point in the story? Why does the entire family have a reason to celebrate? Please briefly explain.

Extension Activity

Life Is a Daily Challenge: A creative-writing essay exercise

In chapter nine, Derek’s mom offers her son some advice about change and how to handle the particular challenges change is always going to bring. How can you apply this concept of challenges and choices to your own life changes? Compose an essay about a dilemma or responsibility you’ve had to take on that wasn’t expected of you in the past. If this responsibility is new, write about what makes it difficult, and if you’ve been working on this task for some time, explain how you’ve grown and how it’s gotten easier.

Written in 2024 by Chrystal Carr Jeter, Children’s Literature Consultant, formerly of Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willoughby Hills, Ohio.

This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.