In Spring and Summer, we’re very nearly all baseball all the time in this family. Since my crew loves the game, I thought perhaps they would love some books involving the game. These books are their favorites, but they are more than baseball books. They’re just really great stories. So, maybe they’d be home runs with your gang even if you’re not into baseball. 😉
1. Jackie & Me by Dan Gutman. We happened upon this book at a used book store. It’s the second in a series of books where the young baseball-loving protagonist can time travel through the use of baseball cards. It puts the reader in 1940s America with a realistic glimpse into the racial tensions of the time, Brooklyn life, and the major leagues. It addresses some mature issues (divorce, greed, prejudice, and more), so you may want to pre-read it. I read it alongside my boys.
2. Hang Tough, Paul Mather by Alfred Slote. A sweet, subtle tale of a strong boy diagnosed with leukemia and his fight to play his favorite game again. My 11 year old named it a recent favorite of his.
3. Brothers at Bat by Audrey Vernick. What sounds like an imaginative tale is actually the true story of an entire baseball team made up of brothers from the 1930s. My whole family was delighted by it.
4. Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki. A fictional tale of a young boy, his family, and his community rallied by the game of baseball in spite of being held at an internment camp for Japanese Americans during World War 2 reminds us that hope carries with us.
There are lots more baseball books out there. My next pick will probably be this one for my budding statistician. (He’s doing math and not even thinking of it!) Or maybe we’ll check out one of the series written by former baseball pros Cal Ripken Jr or Derek Jeter. Think they’ll be any good? If you have favorites or read any of ours, I’d love to hear what you think. Drop a line in the comments.
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