My First Book of Baseball
(Sports Illustrated Kids Rookie Books)

PreS-Gr 1--Introductory books on baseball for young children are perennial favorites, and this one is a fine addition. Each page features an aspect of a game as it is being played. A small cartoon character of a young boy in the corner provides humorous commentary about the players and the action. The book begins with a brief explanation of teams, players, and innings. With photos of a variety of players representing the various major league teams, the pages are bright, colorful, and inviting. In subsequent pages, readers are taken on a journey through an entire game and learn about batters, pitchers, strike zones, runs, walks, balls, and more. Each important term is presented in large capital letters. There are other good informational books on baseball for this grade range, such as Robin Nelson's Baseball Is Fun and Kyle McClellan's Baseball, which offer necessary reviews of the sport, but the format here is more engaging and certainly more entertaining. There is no glossary, but one is not needed as the definitions are given as part of the narrative. VERDICT While there are other suitable introductory books on baseball for youngsters, readers will find the presentation of information enjoyable. Libraries would do well to add this option to their collections.--Margaret Nunes, Gwinnett County Public Library, GA