Common Sense Media Review
By Kyle Jackson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lost boy has postgame adventure in magical baseball tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
NIGHT AT THE STADIUM is a colorful picture book from Derek Jeter's upstart publishing company that tells the story of a young Yankee fan, Gideon, who gets separated from his family in the chaos at the end of an evening at the ballpark. Wandering the tunnels of the historic stadium, Gideon befriends a series of inanimate objects, such as rakes, hoses, bats, balls, and junk food, all of which magically come to life and try to help him on his adventure. After being led to Monument Park (where he speaks with the ghost of Babe Ruth), he meets his idol Derek Jeter, who returns the boy's lost autograph book and signs the cover. Finally, Gideon finds his parents, but when he tries to introduce them to his new "friends," he discovers that they've vanished.
Is It Any Good?
The joy and mystery of youthful adventure are captured well by author Phil Bildner and illustrator Tom Booth, whose goofy and vibrant artwork breathes life into a simple story. The shenanigans Gideon gets into with the chattering cotton candy, cracker jacks, and other colorful characters he encounters are cute and imaginative, if not necessarily funny, and young kids will likely be unable to resist the charm of smiling hot dogs and cotton candy. Baseball fans with a good imagination will have fun with this Night at the Museum-esque adventure.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what to do if they get separated in a crowd. What are some ways you can make sure that you don't get lost?
What do you think of the mix of sports and fantasy?
Have you ever met your favorite star player? Can you think of any way you might get his or her autograph?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Tom Booth
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Aladdin
- Publication date : April 26, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 32
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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