Take Me Out to the Yakyu

“The art has a fresh, attractive, naïf quality that fits the story perfectly. Using mostly blue for the American team and red for the Japanese, these bright pages do an excellent job of delineating each place while capturing the enthusiam they share. Final pages include a chart of baseball words and other fun words in English and Japanese and an author’s note with additional information. Easy to follow and fascinating even for nonfans, this bicultural baseball outing provides a fresh, joyful take on the grand old game.” February 1, 2013

Debut illustrator Meshon's comparison of American and Japanese baseball is a skillful double play, entertaining (and educating) young baseball fans while affirming the growing number of children who live between two countries and two cultures. Flat, naif acrylics and simple words report the boy narrator's parallel experiences: "In America, Pop Pop gets me a giant foam hand. In Japan, Ji Ji gets me a giant plastic horn. In America, Pop Pop also gets us hot dogs and peanuts.... In Japan, Ji Ji also gets us soba noodles and edamame." The artwork provides more information (two paper tickets lie on the American food tray, while Ji Ji's cellphone displays electronic tickets). Meshon's spreads make it clear that though material circumstances may differ, human emotions are just the same. "Are we there yet?" shouts a speech balloon spouting out of the boy's station wagon in the American stadium's parking lot. "Yes, we are!" comes the answer from the bus-train arriving at its Japanese counterpart. Making a book that's equal parts affection and edification isn't easy; Meshon's record is one for one. Ages 2-6. (Feb.)

Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 2--A young boy compares and contrasts the game of baseball as it is played and enjoyed by fans in the United States and in Japan. He has the good fortune of experiencing the action in both countries. "My American pop pop takes me to watch baseball at the stadium./My Japanese ji ji takes me to watch yakyu at the dome." Everything from transportation to and from the ballpark to snacks, souvenirs, and the appropriate cheers is included, as well as differences in the actual play. A glossary of both baseball and "Other Fun Words" is appended, as is an informative author's note outlining other differences. The bright and cheerful acrylic illustrations feature shades of blue for the U. S. and reds for Japan, making it easy to distinguish between the two. The pages are nicely designed with clean lines and no clutter. A lively and enjoyable read for baseball fans, and a great choice for those compare-and-contrast lessons.--Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

* "Debut illustrator Meshon's comparison of American and Japanese baseball is a skillful double play, entertaining (and educating) young baseball fans while affirming the growing number of children who live between two countries and two cultures.... Meshon's spreads make it clear that though material circumstances may differ, human emotions are just the same.... Making a book that's equal parts affection and edification isn't easy; Meshon's record is one for one."