My Baseball Book (My Sports Book)

...it would probably be perfect for reading to a young child who is about to attend a baseball game for the first time. A companion volume is My Soccer Book.

PreS-Gr 2 In picture-book format, Gibbons provides the basic facts about two popular sports. Using short, clear sentences, she defines terms, explains the rules, and describes scoring. One line in each book mentions the equipment necessary for each game, but the information is well augmented by clearly labeled, colorful drawings showing additional gear, such as shin guards for soccer players or protective covering for the baseball catcher. Both books contain diagrams of the game fields. However, the words selected for the brief glossaries seem arbitrary; for example, "cleat" is defined in Soccer, but not in Baseball. These informative books will be enjoyed by new players or spectators of older siblings' events.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

This pair of small, snappily designed books are attractive, accessible introductions to the two sports children are most likely to play. Diverse groups of young children, drawn in Gibbons' typically bright colors and cheery style, demonstrate sports equipment and game plays. Each book includes a diagram of the field, and a brief glossary explains sports basics, such as offense and teamwork as well as specific terms ("dribble," "strike"). Margart Blackstone's books, such as "This Is Soccer" (1999), which are written for the same young audience, catch the excitement of game play; these books make the sports understandable.