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Children's Literature
What child does not want to learn how to play baseball? It is Saturday and a big game is scheduled. The "You" in the book actually refers to whoever is reading this book at the time. What a clever way to draw both boys and girls into the story. In fact, the baseball team is comprised of both boys and girls...how refreshing. An excerpt from the story: "You get to bat first, so you put on your helmet. Here comes the pitch. You swing at it. WHACK! You hit the ball past the third baseman. You drop the bat and run to first base. You are..." When using baseball vocabulary, Fauchald incorporates a yellow block at the bottom of the page where the explanation of that term is given in a child friendly manner. I can't say enough about the illustrations. They are entertaining, colorful, vivid, and depict exactly how to play the game. Included in the back of the book, is a layout of a baseball field, fun facts, a short glossary, a list of similar books, and step-by-step instructions on connecting to Fact Hound on the Web. The author manages to write both a nonfiction and fiction book at the same time—a unique style. This is an excellent choice for any young child who is interested in learning to play baseball. It is also a great read-a-loud book. 2004, Picture Window Books, Ages 4 to 8.—Kathie M. Josephs