Take Me Out to the Ballgame: Illustrations by Alec Gillman

by Jack Norworth, Alec Gillman (Illustrator)

Overview

Grab your ticket to Game 5 of the 1947 World Series! Come back in time to historic Ebbets Field for all the thrill and excitement of a day at the ballpark. Join the crowd in the stands as they root, root, root for the home team Dodgers who battle their archrivals, the New York Yankees! See Jackie Robinson, Spec Shea, Cookie Lavagetto, and announcer Red Barber — plus the famous Dodger fans. For baseball lovers of all ages, here's a book that's sure to be a home run!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780027359916
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	10/31/1992
Edition description:	1st ed
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.75(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jack Norworth is the author of Take Me Out to the Ballgame, a Simon & Schuster book.

Editorial Reviews

PreS-Gr 2
This picture book, with a CD embedded in its cover, presents a simplified introduction to the classic baseball sing-along. As a boy and his father enjoy a game, illustrations bear out each verse of the chorus. Two pages of notes follow, along with the complete lyrics to Jack Norworth's 1908 and 1927 versions of the song. The notes briefly explain its history, including the fact that Norworth attended his first major-league game in 1940. There are also a few words about Harry Caray, legendary announcer, who was known for singing along to the tune during broadcasts. Pamintuan's cartoonlike digital graphics are exaggerated and practically pop off the page. The CD adds little: readers can listen along to the simple text and hear the chorus repeated over and over. While the snippets of information may hold some appeal to baseball fans, the overall effect is underwhelming. Steer young readers to Jim Burke's Take Me Out to the Ball Game (Little, Brown, 2006) for a delightful introduction to the song's history and a lively glimpse of baseball's early days.
—Marilyn TaniguchiCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Burke offers an atmospheric rendition of the old baseball chestnut. To crisply drawn, exactly detailed scenes of rabid young fan Katie Casey (the song's actual subject) in period dress and surroundings, he not only pairs all of the lyrics, but a tribute to New York Giants superstar pitcher Christy Mathewson too-with particular reference to a renowned 1908 playoff game against the archrival Chicago Cubs. He also weaves in plenty of baseball lore, from Mathewson's grips for various pitches to the origins of Cracker Jacks and the term "hot dog." Gilded further with a musical arrangement, a source list and even a reproduction of the song's original manuscript, this hits a line drive straight into baseball's storied past. Put it next to the umpteen illustrated versions of "Casey at the Bat." (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews