Summertime, and the season is baseball. These perfect books
connect with readers and children of all ages for America’s favorite game.
Whether you’re a player, a participant or a fervent fan, these terrific tales
provide a chance to enjoy!
Knuckleball Ned
by R. A. Dickey
illustrations by Tim Bowers
Former
major league knuckleball pitcher and award winner Dickey has crafted a picture
book debut about a ball with limited spin that causes whimsical forward motion.
Ned, a nervous baseball isn’t sure how his first day at school will be. But
after he wobbles and bumps his way down the aisle on the bus, he makes friends
with Sammy the large softball.
At school
the Foul Ball Gang makes fun of him and plays a trick on Ned’s new friend
Connie Curveball. All the other balls know who they are - fastballs, sliders,
etc. - but Ned hasn’t figured it out yet. Although he does discover he can also
float and glide. When he rescues Connie’s shoes from the tree where the Foul
Ball Gang has thrown them, he realizes he’s not a knucklehead, he’s Knuckleball
Ned and proud.
Bowers uses
bright acrylics and cartoon features to distinguish between the kinds of balls,
no small feat to keep the story moving with characters that are so similar in
shape. Facial expressions actively communicate emotions and movement. Most are
partial page illustrations with lots of white space to allow for clean lines.
The several double page spreads are important for showing significant movement
and highlighting critical elements in the text and its climax. This delightful
tale is a charming anti-bullying book for youngsters of all ages.
Dial, $17.99
Interest Level:
Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 1
Beverly Billingsly
Can’t Catch
by Alexander Stadler
Two friends,
Beverly and Oliver (both bears), are always chosen last for playing softball,
their academic skills and abilities notwithstanding. When they decide to do
something to change this humiliating state of affairs, Beverly’s first attempt
is not successful. Carlton, the star, declines to teach her saying, “Either
you’ve got it or you don’t.” In his opinion, “being good at sports is not
something you can learn.” Fortunately, Beverly doesn’t believe him. When she
stops by the library looking to learn how to play, the librarian asks, ”Have
you considered practicing?” And then offers to coach them.
Partial
page gouache and ink illustrations show the characters actively involved in
playing and practicing. Cheerful, bright and animated characters match the
breezy text to show a familiar experience for youngsters who are not innate
athletes.
Drawing a face on the softball,
Mrs. Del Rubio, looking more like a red headed woodpecker than a coach, advises
Oliver and Beverly that “Wallace” (the ball with the new face) “can’t stand to
touch the ground.” The two buddies practice every chance they have. Despite a
slight setback when Beverly gets knocked out by a fast ball, the two continue training,
until a game when together they put their developing abilities to work. While
neither of the two are stars, the satisfying ending for this engaging story clearly
encourages readers that practicing can develop skill.
Harcourt, $16
Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten
– Grade 2
Baseball Hour
by
Carol Nevius
illustrated by Bill Thomson
Poet Nevius’ rhyming text is deftly written and pairs smoothly with
artist Thompson’s detail oriented, photo-realistic illustrations for a kid’s
version of baseball practice. Beginning with warm-ups, the text spins through
throwing and catching, to batting practice and finally, with players divided
into teams, proceeds to a practice game.
The illustrations depict a
multicultural group of kids, with close-ups of a cleated foot on the base,
stitching on gloves and balls, a determined look on one face, and a surprised
look on another face when the ball lands in the mitt. There is power when bat
and ball connect, plus a slide toward home, and a tagged out that extends
excitement as the game progresses.
Teamwork is showcased in this book. Especially
heartwarming is the climactic double-page spread, when “our time is up and
practice ends. Arms like spokes, a wheel of friends” demonstrates, in a melding
of words with pictures, kids’ hands celebrating in a cooperative pile.
Marshall Cavendish, $16.99
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2
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