Baseball Is...
By Regan McMahon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Ode to America's pastime hits it out of the park.
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What's the Story?
BASEBALL IS... offers an affectionate, comprehensive look at all the elements of the sport from the big leagues to Little League to backyard pickup games, from the point of view of both the players and the fans. And there's plenty on the field as Babe Ruth watches a homer soar, Jackie Robinson slides into home, and Roberto Clemente grabs a fly ball in the outfield. Ballpark builders get their due, as do the announcers, the bat boy, the scoreboard, umpires, the Negro League, and the women's leagues. A few fun historical facts are dotted throughout, as well.
Is It Any Good?
This is a wonderful ode to America's pastime told in spare, poetic text and textured colored pencil and watercolor illustrations. There's action in the stands, as vendors hawk their snacks and souvenirs, fans cheer and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," and a kid catches a ball in his gloved hand. The spare, poetic text turns lists of elements such as the lineup, innings, plays (the bunt, steal, walk, RBI, error, pop fly, grand slam), and balls (fastball, curve ball, knuckle ball, slider) into evocative collective memory.
Raúl Colón's warm illustrations capture the love of the game, the emotion of the shared experience, and the joy of watching a game where anything can happen at any given moment. Author Louise Borden notes, "It's a game of seconds, / and minutes / and hours... / and it's a game never stopped by a clock."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about baseball. What's fun about playing or watching it?
Do you think the author and illustrator capture the feel of baseball? What's your favorite image in the book?
What does baseball mean to you? Make your own list of "Baseball is...."
Book Details
- Author: Louise Borden
- Illustrator: Raúl Colón
- Genre: Sports
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts , Great Boy Role Models
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
- Publication date: February 18, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 7 - 10
- Number of pages: 48
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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