Publishers Weekly
Uhlberg's (Flying Over Brooklyn) moving text and Bootman's (Papa's Mark) realistic, period watercolors introduce the narrator, an avid young baseball player and fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1947, the Dodgers have just acquired Jackie Robinson, and the boy's father, who is deaf, comes home with two tickets to see the Dodgers play. Though the man has never shown an interest in the sport, soon after the game, the eager-to-learn man grills his son about the sport and about Robinson, and each night attempts to play catch with the boy. Though Bootman's portraits of father and son can be uneven, his close-ups of Robinson consistently convey the athlete's poise and calm under fire. The tale focuses less on the specifics of the season and more on the link between Robinson and the boy's deaf father overcoming obstacles; in many ways the concluding author's note tells the more poignant side of the autobiographical points to the story. But most readers will be thrilled by the book's climax: when Robinson catches a ball to make the last out of the season, he throws the ball to the boy's father, who, for the first time in his life, catches a baseball. Ultimately, this is an affecting tribute to Robinson, to a dedicated son and to a thoughtful, deep-feeling father. And, of course, to baseball. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Dad, Jackie, and Me
Paperback
$8.95
- ISBN-13: 9781561455317
- Publisher: Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
- Publication date: 02/28/2010
- Pages: 32
- Sales rank: 93,537
- Product dimensions: 9.30(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.20(d)
- Age Range: 6 - 9 Years
Eligible for FREE SHIPPING details
.
8.95
Out Of Stock
It is the summer of 1947 and a highly charged baseball season is underway in New York. Jackie Robinson is the new first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers—and the first black player in Major League Baseball. A young boy shares the excitement of Robinson's rookie season with his deaf father.
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
-
- In My Momma's Kitchen
- by Jerdine NolenColin Bootman
-
- Mudball
- by Matt TavaresMatt Tavares
-
- Hooray for Snail!
- by John StadlerJohn Stadler
-
- Grandma's Records
- by Eric VelasquezEric Velasquez
-
- The Bubble Wrap Queen
- by Julia CookAllison Valentine
-
- Nadia's Hands
- by Karen EnglishJonathan Weiner
-
- Pinduli
- by Janell Cannon
-
- The Babe & I
- by David A. AdlerTerry Widener
-
- Cactus Soup
- by Eric A. KimmelPhil Huling
-
- The Composition
- by Antonio SkarmetaAlfonso Ruano
-
- Under the Lemon Moon
- by Edith Hope FineRene King Moreno
-
- A Million Fish...More or Less
- by Patricia C. McKissackPat McKissackDena Schutzer
-
- Nothing Sticks Like a Shadow
- by Lynn MunsingerAnn Tompert
-
- I Live in Tokyo
- by Mari TakabayashiMari Takabayashi
-
- How to Heal a Broken Wing
- by Bob GrahamBob Graham
-
- Bat Boy And His Violin
- by Gavin CurtisE.B. Lewis
-
- Down the Road
- by Alice SchertleE. B. Lewis
Recently Viewed
School Library Journal
Gr 2-5-Like The Printer (Peachtree, 2003), this story is based on Uhlberg's experiences growing up as a hearing child of deaf parents. The tale is set in Brooklyn in 1947, where a young Dodger fan eagerly anticipates the much-heralded addition of Jackie Robinson to his team's lineup. Surprisingly, the narrator's deaf father is interested too; he has recognized his own struggle for respect and acceptance mirrored in Robinson's triumph. The two begin attending games and keep a scrapbook of newspaper clippings about the first baseman. Though baseball and Robinson are at the heart of this story, its strength lies in its depiction of the bond between father and son. It is evident that their relationship is characterized by respect and tenderness, though, at the ballpark, the boy is at first embarrassed when his father's awkward cheer causes other fans to stare. The page design resembles a scrapbook, with actual newspaper clippings on the endpapers. Bootman's lovely watercolor paintings add detail and wistful nostalgia. Baseball fans may be disappointed with the narrative's slow pace and the fact that Robinson is little more than an iconic figure, but others will appreciate the story's insightful treatment of deafness as viewed through the eyes of a child.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
When Jackie Robinson signs with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 as first baseman, the historic event captures the imagination of one middle-aged man in Brooklyn-the author's father. This genuinely affecting, fictionalized story reveals how Uhlberg's father, who is deaf, personally relates to the first African-American player in major league baseball as someone who also has to overcome discrimination. The shared excitement of father and son during a Giants vs. Dodgers game at Ebbets Field is contagious, as readers experience the tension of the game as well as that generated by racist Giants fans. The boy's embarrassment as his father chants Jackie's name as "AH-GHEE, AH-GEE, AH-GEE!" vanishes by the season's last game when Robinson throws the ball straight to his father and, amazingly, he catches it in his bare hand. Bootman's realistic, wonderfully expressive watercolor paintings capture the fashions and flavor of 1940s New York in muted browns and greens. The endpapers, an actual scrapbook of old newspaper articles about Robinson, provide a satisfying context for this ultimately upbeat, multi-dimensional story. (author's note) (Picture book. 7-10)