Skip to main content

If You Like... Baseball

 To celebrate Major League Baseball's opening day, here are some books to read about the American pastime. 

Lucy Tries Baseball
Written by Lisa Bowes
Illustrated by James Hearne
British Columbia: Orca Book Publishers, 2023. Picture Book.

Lucy is learning to play catch with her dad when Coach Al invites her to play with his team instead. She learns the basics of baseball, like hitting and fielding, then joins in on the first practice. At first, Lucy is scared that she is going to get hit by a pitch and is afraid to be up to bat. But, eventually Lucy learns to love the game. This book would be a great resource to prepare kids for their first practice and will be relatable to anyone who's tried a new sport.

By Ethan Long
New York: Holiday House, 2023. Easy Reader.

Hoggy knows he will be good at baseball. He doesn't have any basis for that knowledge, but he firmly believes it anyway. So when he gets two strikes during his first at bat, he doesn't know how to respond to the pressure of wanting to hit a home run with one ball left. This easy reader, which uses few words per page in its comic format, will give encouragement to any child who has ever been afraid to strike out.

By Beth Bulger
Chicago, IL: Triumph Books LLC, 2023. Easy Informational. 

If you are looking for a great book with simple explanations for someone who doesn't have any background knowledge of baseball, this is a great choice! It explains the rules of the game, the format of baseball, and terms you'll need to know. It also has pictures of real MLB players interspersed throughout, so even kids who know baseball will enjoy trying to spot their favorites!

By Sandra W. Headen
New York: Holiday House, 2024. Fiction.

In 1939 North Carolina, Cato and his teammates want nothing more than to play on the new field that was just erected in his city. Unfortunately, it's a whites-only field. When they sneak onto the field anyway and get caught, they propose that their team compete with the white team to see who the winner would be in a series of head-to-head battles. As the forthcoming game spurs episodes of racial violence, Cato's black community must rally around each other to stay safe. Mixing in historical context with the love of the game, this book is a great choice for those who want to learn more about the history of baseball.

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Faker

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...

You Need to Read: Percy Jackson

I was a kid myself when  The Lightning Thief  by Rick Riordan was published, and it didn't take long for the Percy Jackson series to take the world by storm. Being the son of a Poseidon, Percy Jackson has some unique challenges as a half-blood. Here's some books that I think could've helped Percy when he was on his adventures trying to save the world: Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians Written by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes Illustrated by Javier Espila Washington D.C.: National Geographic, 2024. Informational. 191 pages. Percy, I know Chiron did a good job teaching you about mythology in Latin class, but this book is sure to be good to have on hand while you're traveling across the United States. Greeking Out  is written in a kid-friendly voice with vivid illustrations and a sometimes-snarky tone (much like Percy himself). It also presents real-life creatures and places along with the information about Greek mythology. The Homework Squad's ADHD Guide to School S...

If You Like...Ladybugs

Spring is almost upon us! We'll have more rain instead of snow, flowers will start blooming, and more bugs will be out. Ladybugs are some of the prettiest insects--and the least intimidating for those more wary of bugs. If you like ladybugs, check out these books! Ladybugs Do Not Go to Preschool Written by Ali Rutstein Illustrated by NinĢ‹a Nill Richmond, VA: Bright Light, 2024. Picture Book. Ravi loves ladybugs--he eats aphids instead of cornflakes for breakfast, brushes his mandibles instead of teeth, and has a ladybug costume complete with wings and antennae. He is certain that ladybugs don't have to go to preschool, and when Mom says that Ravi still has to go to school, he is nervous. However, thanks to Mom's patience and gentle encouragement, Ravi makes some new friends and realizes that preschool might be a good place for ladybugs after all. A Perfect Spot By Isabelle Simler Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022. Picture Book. A ladybug is ready to ...