As sure as flowers bloom in spring, baseball fever strikes Americans young and old when the weather warms. Every sunny afternoon at a grassy lot in my neighborhood, cars line the street and parents visit while their eight- to 12-year-olds get out their bats, balls, and gloves and play ball. Here are some good new baseball books that will give kids even more baseball fun.
With remarkably few strokes of his pen, Elisha Cooper's sketches and brief descriptions in Ballpark convey the essence of baseball. The simplicity of his illustrations and the creative placement of words on the page make this tour of a day at the ballpark a visual experience sure to be enjoyed by children of various ages and reading abilities. Cooper's purposefully vague drawings encourage readers to fill in details in their own minds and identify with the game the people could be anybody; they could be you! At the same time, the few words used reveal insights that create new interest. Cooper cobbles together isolated bits and pieces to create a coherent and engrossing account.
