Product Description

The championship game is coming up soon, and Nick can't wait to pitch for his team, the Rockets. Come watch Nick at practice and learn all about equipment, drills, and positions. Listen to Coach Brian's tips and his advice on good sportsmanship and being a team player. Then, grab the best seats and root for the Rockets in the championship game!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #186311 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From Publishers Weekly
HIsadora (Sophie Skates) heads for the baseball diamond in her latest exploration of sports. Neatly sandwiching nonfiction nuggets into a story about a boy named Nick, his teammates on the Rockets (girls as well as boys) and a championship game, Isadora serves up a lively and informative pastiche. While Nick and his friend Ben warm up for the big game, for instance, captioned spot art shows and identifies the various components of their uniforms; on the facing page, a host of other equipment, from batting helmet to catcher's gear, comes in for the same treatment. As she chronicles the championship game and its triumphant conclusion for the Rockets, Isadora scrutinizes everything from skills and drills to scoring, practice techniques, "Rules to Abide By" ("Never argue with the umpire"), the various positions and "Coach Brian's Tips" (when you slide, "try to keep your foot up to avoid injury"). For all the ground the author covers, her presentation is simple and carefully pared down, keenly attuned to a picture book audience. Watercolor illustrations are precise in their portrayal of the game and its players as they stretch, run, swing, throw and catch, capturing both Nick and his teammates' enthusiasm as well as their athleticism. Just the ticket for aspiring sluggers. Ages 5-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-The book intersperses a story about a boy playing baseball with explanations about the sport. The coach opens the practice session with drills, and the text and illustrations explain how players warm up and practice batting and pitching. On the day of the championship game, Nick unpacks his bag at the field. Baseball equipment is then illustrated and explained. The game begins and an illustration of the diamond shows the nine positions. In the end, Nick's team wins and learns how to line up and shake hands with the opponents. Although some readers may enjoy learning about baseball in the context of a story, the combination of narrative and expository text is not completely successful. The story line is quite thin and, because it is interrupted with informational content, has little dramatic effect. The appealing watercolor illustrations depict a multicultural group of boys and girls and are effective in conveying movement and action. The book would be best for beginning baseball players who are more interested in the sport than a story.-Adele Greenlee, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Isadora's informative and interesting book has one basic problem--kids who want to know the ins and outs of playing baseball may find this format too young. Still, those who don't mind the oversize picture-book look will pick up lots of tips. The background story concerns Nick and his team, the Rockets, who spend plenty of time practicing, playing, and finally winning their game. But the book is really a how-to, and on each page kids can learn something new: batting, pitching, equipment, playing positions, and rules of the game. One error: the home team appears on the top of the scoreboard instead of the bottom. Isadora's pictures are bright and sunny, perfectly evocative of a day playing ball. The multiethnic Rockets (and their opponents, the Clippers) consists of boys and girls of varying degrees of ability, whose enthusiasm is contagious. Lots of fun and plenty of good advice, especially for the baseball newbie. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Great for all ages!
This is finally a baseball book that even a parent can learn from and enjoy. My son, age 5, loved this book. It is an interesting story as well as educational. You will learn all about baseball from "choking up on the bat" to running the bases. It is very informative and fun!! I highly recommend!!!

Good Book for Little Baseball Fans
My son is 4 1/2 and loves baseball. He seems to really enjoy this book and after we read it he talked about the importance of practice. I wouldn't say it's a "fascinating" book, but it gives us another baseball book to read with good tips.

Great Book
I bought this for my grandson Nick who loves baseball. He is 6 and he loved the book.