Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Empathy, friendship for baseball-loving kid with dyslexia.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In BEN AND EMMA'S BIG HIT, Ben feels lost when he tries to read. The letters are all jumbled up, the sounds don't make any sense to him, and he can't remember even the simplest sight words. This is the opposite of how he feels playing baseball, where he can run, hit, and understand the game with ease. When he realizes that he's had to work and practice to get this good at his beloved baseball, he sees that maybe if he keeps trying with reading, he can make progress there, too.
Is It Any Good?
Young readers don't need to have dyslexia to relate to Ben's struggle or to understand the reward for working hard. Empathy is a constant theme in Ben and Emma's Bit Hit, and when the kids find out that Ms. Kim has never been able to hit a baseball, they want to help her, just as she has helped them. Readers see how the kids' encouragement of Ms. Kim and the tips they give her for hitting are a lot like navigating learning difficulties. Perseverance is important to get through hard times, and so is support and understanding, because no one should have to struggle alone.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Ms. Kim and the students each had a hard thing to work on in Ben and Emma's Big Hit. What is hard for you to learn, and how do you feel about it?
Do you ever feel alone with your struggle to learn something? Who can you talk to about this?
What other books about learning disabilities have you read?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Illustrator : Alexandra Thompson
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Philomel
- Publication date : December 7, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Audiobook (abridged), Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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