Thematic Lists

Join one little boy and his family for two ballgames--on opposite sides of the world! You may know that baseball is the Great American Pastime, but did you know that it is also a beloved sport in Japan? Come along with one little boy and his grandfathers, one in America and one in Japan, as he learns about baseball and its rich, varying cultural traditions. This debut picture book from Aaron Meshon is a home run--don't be surprised if the vivid illustrations and energetic text leave you shouting, "LET'S PLAY YAKYU!"

Baseball might be America's favorite pastime, but baseball isn't just an American sport! From Cuba to Japan, Australia to Italy, a diverse melting pot of countries and cultures have embraced the ole ballgame. In Baseball Around the World, you'll take a multicultural world tour to meet the nations and players who have pushed baseball to international popularity--with a twist, of course. Find out what they eat at Japanese baseball stadiums, how a gold rush brought baseball to Australia, why South Korean games are allowed to end in a tie, and much more in this home run of a book! From the introduction: People often think of baseball as an American sport. Terms such as "America's pastime" and the "boys of summer" bring up images of warm summer nights in small towns. Yes, the game we think of--that we know and love--is rooted in the sandlots and Little League fields across the U.S. But baseball is so much bigger. In many ways, baseball really is a world sport....As you read this book and learn about baseball around the world, you'll see just how much the game unifies us. Regardless of our differences, our love for the game of baseball is all the same!

In baseball, numbers are everywhere! So, grab your ball cap and get ready to be wowed by all the stats, digits, and dimensions. You'll be the brainiest batter and sharpest pitcher out there!

A brief introduction to the game of baseball as intended to be played by children.

There's no better feeling for a baseball player than crushing a ball over the outfield fence for a homerun, or blowing a fastball by the batter for a strikeout. Would your readers like to hit like a pro and pitch like an all-star? Do they want to be a slick-fielding shortstop? From the basics of pitching to more advanced tips that will give readers a winning swing, this book has many important baseball skills, including fun tips and tricks from the pros.

Keeping track of all the fascinating baseball facts and statistics can make your head spin faster than a curveball. You hear about blazing speeds (the average Major League fastball is 92 miles per hour), huge numbers (Barry Bonds hit 762 home runs), and powerful dynasties (the New York Yankees have won the World Series 27 times). Engaging infographics relate facts and key concepts about baseball, from how pitchers throw a curve ball to the crucial timing of a home run. Detailed "data art" allows readers to visualize important baseball concepts and explore notable aspects of "America's Favorite Pastime." The vibrant infographics on each spread appeal to struggling readers and help them analyze and interpret baseball information and statistics.

Baseball: Then to WOW! shows readers how baseball has evolved from the early days of the 1920s to the game it is today. Using MLB action photographs, illustrations, stories, and trivia, the book is a journey through time both for baseball fans and those new to the game. Kids will learn how basic equipment has changed from fingerless gloves to specially tailored leather-bound mitts and how the evolution of game strategy has transformed the sport, players, and equipment. Players throughout history are stacked up against each other in every position so fans can dream up the perfect fantasy team with Babe Ruth playing alongside Hank Aaron and Reggie Jackson. A fun-filled section of the book explores everything fan culture-from the perfect ballpark frank to the importance of baseball cards and video games in popularizing the sport.

The amazing science behind America's favorite pastime. Play ball! How Baseball Works is a behind-the-scenes examination of the physics of baseball: home runs, curve balls and stolen bases. Baseball relies on scientific principles more than any other sport. Here's how the pros use physics to throw pitches that seem to defy gravity. Kinetic energy plays a role in knocking the ball out of the park. The number crunching for statistics shows the importance of mathematics to the game. Topics include: Stories of great players, old and new How pitchers can stay ahead of the game How the pros hit with accuracy and power Baserunning: sliding, stealing and scoring How to warm up, prevent injuries and strengthen muscles Famous fields and the Astroturf vs. grass debate Fun-to-read and colorfully illustrated, How Baseball Works makes the National Pastime more enjoyable than ever.

Major league help for anyone learning -- or coaching -- the game. Millions call baseball the greatest game on earth and the national pastime. But perfecting the art of playing it takes time, patience, and lots of practice. In The Baseball Book, Kevin Briand covers everything kids need to know to play and practice America's favorite sport. The Baseball Book features: Proper techniques in all the important skill areas, infielding and outfielding, pitching and catching, hitting and baserunning Step-by-step photography and clear, concise text for all techniques Team drills Tips on warming up and stretching information on selecting the right equipment A short history of the game, glossary of baseball terms, and contact information for baseball leagues and associations A perfect introduction to a timeless game, The Baseball Book will help baseball beginners become baseball players.

Lena Blackburne loved baseball. He watched it, he played it, he coached it. But he didn't love the ways players broke in new baseballs. Tired of soggy, blackened, stinky baseballs, he found a better way. Thanks to a well-timed fishing trip and a top-secret mud recipe, Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud was born. For seventy-five years, baseball teams have used Lena's magic mud to prepare baseballs before every game. Read the story of how Lena's mud went from a riverbank to the major leagues and all the way to the Hall of Fame.

The remarkable story of Larry Doby, the first Black baseball player in the American League. In 1947, Larry Doby signed with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first Black player in the American leagues. He endured terrible racism, both from fans and his fellow teammates. Despite this, he became a unifying force on and off the field, and went on to become a seven-time All Star. Illustrated with Cannaday Chapman's bold, stylized illustrations, this exceptional biography tells the story of an unsung hero who not only opened doors for those behind him, but set amazing records during his Hall of Fame career. More significantly, it examines the long fight to overcome racism in sports and our culture at large, a fight that is far from over.

Many believe baseball great Willie Mays to be the best player that ever lived. He hit 660 home runs (fourth best of all time), had a lifetime batting average of .302, and is second only to Babe Ruth on The Sporting News's list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players." In Jonah Winter and Terry Widener's fascinating picture book biography, young readers can follow Mays's unparalleled career from growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, to playing awe-inspiring ball in the Negro Leagues and then the Majors, where he was center fielder for the New York (later San Francisco) Giants. Complete with sidebars filled with stats, here is a book for all baseball lovers, young and old.

As a boy, Kenichi "Zeni" Zenimura dreams of playing professional baseball, but everyone tells him he is too small. Yet he grows up to be a successful player, playing with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig! When the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor in 1941, Zeni and his family are sent to one of ten internment camps where more than 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry are imprisoned without trials. Zeni brings the game of baseball to the camp, along with a sense of hope. This true story, set in a Japanese internment camp during World War II, introduces children to a little-discussed part of American history through Marissa Moss's rich text and Yuko Shimizu's beautiful illustrations. The book includes author and illustrator notes, archival photographs, and a bibliography.

The Acerra family had sixteen children, including twelve ball-playing boys. It was the 1930s, and many families had lots of kids. But only one had enough to field a baseball team . . . with three on the bench! They loved the game, but more important, they cared for and supported each other and stayed together as a team. Nothing life threw their way--not even a World War--could stop them.

From the first pitch to the last out and all nine innings between, Douglas Florian's collection of baseball poems brings wordplay, wit, and laughter to America's springtime tradition. Featuring a mean-armed pitcher, a daisy-picking right fielder, and a lightning-swift base stealer, Poem Runs combines irresistible language and Florian's signature child-friendly, bold illustration style in this celebration of the magic of baseball.

A little boy named Clemente learns about his namesake, the great baseball player Roberto Clemente, in this joyful picture book biography. Born in Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente was the first Latin American player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the only player for whom the five-year initiation period was waived. Known not only for his exceptional baseball skills but also for his extensive charity work in Latin America, Clemente was well-loved during his eighteen years playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He died in a plane crash while bringing aid supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Willie Perdomo's rhythmic text and Bryan Collier's energetic art combine to tell the amazing story of one of baseball's greats.

A warm, intimate portrait of Jackie Robinson, America's sports icon, told from the unique perspective of a unique insider: his only daughter.Sharon Robinson shares memories of her famous father in this warm loving biography of the man who broke the color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson was an outstanding athlete, a devoted family man and a dedicated civil rights activist. The author explores the fascinating circumstances surrounding Jackie Robinson's breakthrough. She also tells the off-the-field story of Robinson's hard-won victories and the inspiring effect he had on his family, his community. . . his country! Includes never-before-published letters by Jackie Robinson, as well as photos from the Robinson family archives.

A biography of Penobscot Indian Louis Sockalexis, who pursued his childhood love of baseball and eventually joined the Major Leagues, where he faced racism and discrimination with humility and courage as the first Native American to play professional baseball.

Matt Tavares hits one out of the park with this powerful tale of a kid from the segregated South who would become baseball's home-run king. Before he was Hammerin' Hank, Henry Aaron was a young boy growing up in Mobile, Alabama, with what seemed like a foolhardy dream: to be a big-league baseball player. He didn't have a bat. He didn't have a ball. And there wasn't a single black ball player in the major leagues. But none of this could stop Henry Aaron. In a captivating biography of Henry Aaron's young life -- from his sandlot days through his time in the Negro Leagues to the day he played his first spring training game for the Braves -- Matt Tavares offers an inspiring homage to one of baseball's all-time greats. Back matter includes an author's note, Henry Aaron's career statistics, and a bibliography.

For as long as she could remember, Jackie Mitchell's father had told Jackie she could be good at whatever she wanted, as long as she worked at it. Jackie worked at baseball. She worked hard. And before long Jackie could outplay anyone in her neighborhood--even the boys. She had one pitch--a wicked, dropping curve ball. But no seventeen-year-old girl could pitch against Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. It was unthinkable. Then on April 2, 1931, the New York Yankees stopped in Tennessee for an exhibition game against the Chattanooga Lookouts. And on that day Jackie Mitchell made baseball history.

Audrey Vernick and Steven Salerno have again collaborated to bring us a captivating picture book about a compelling but little-known piece of baseball history. Beginning in 1922, when Edith Houghton was only ten years old, she tried out for a women's professional baseball team, the Philadelphia Bobbies. Though she was the smallest on the field, soon reporters were talking about "The Kid" and her incredible skill, and crowds were packing the stands to see her play. Her story reminds us that baseball has never been about just men and boys. Baseball is also about talented girls willing to work hard to play any way they can.

Even with a 12-0 loss to start the '88 season, Cal Ripken, Jr. had plenty of reasons to love being a Baltimore Oriole. He was playing alongside his brother Bill, and his father, Cal Sr., was managing the team. They'd win the next one. But the Orioles didn't win their next game, or the next, and soon what was supposed to be a dream season for Cal slid into a nightmare of losses no one saw coming. With brilliant and expressive color paintings from Ron Mazellan, future hall-of-famer Cal Ripken, Jr. shares the ups and downs of the Orioles' record 21-game losing streak, and reflects on the rewards of hard work, regardless of what's on the scoreboard.

In this striking picture book biography, an old-timer tells us what made Sandy Koufax such an amazing baseball player. We learn that the beginning of his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers was rocky, that he was shy with his teammates, and experienced discrimination as one of the only Jews in the game. We hear that he actually quit, only to return the next season--different--firing one rocket after another over the plate. We watch him refuse to play in the 1965 World Series because it is a Jewish high holy day. And we see him in pain because of an overused left arm, eventually retiring at the peak of his career. Finally, we are told that people are still "scratchin' their heads over Sandy," who remains a modest hero and a mystery to this day.

Perfect for every baseball fan, here is the story of New York Yankees baseball great Joe DiMaggio's longest hitting streak in baseball history. In the summer of 1941, Yankee center fielder Joe DiMaggio and his favorite bat, Betsy Ann, begin the longest hitting streak in baseball history. But when Betsy Ann goes missing, will DiMaggio keep hitting? Set on the brink of World War II, this is a spellbinding account of a sports story that united the country and made DiMaggio a hero, at a time when one was profoundly needed. Barb Rosenstock's action-packed text and Terry Widener's powerful illustrations capture DiMaggio's drive as well as his frustration. The book also includes headlines, quotes, stats, and a detailed bibliography.

Max Patkin was pitching in the minor leagues when he was injured and had to leave his dreams behind. He joined the Navy and eventually was able to play again while in the military . . .and this time he got to pitch against superstar Joe DiMaggio. When Joe hit one of Max's throws out of the park, Max threw down his glove, left the mound, and chased Joe around the bases, making faces and imitating his every move. The crowd loved it! And a baseball clown was born. This inspiring and comical biography carries an important message: Life doesn't always turn out exactly as you hope . . . but moving in a new direction can sometimes bring happy surprises.

Baseball season! For a kid who loves the sport, everything about it is important. Pitching, batting, sliding, winning, losing, Grandpa's knuckleballs, superstitious teammates, cheering spectators--even the infield dust . . . each has a place in the player's life. And all are captured here in Fehler's perceptive, exuberant poetry and Donald Wu's lively illustrations. Readers who play baseball will recognize a kindred spirit in the young narrator whose voice is heard in this book and will share his pleasure in every aspect of the game. Sports fans may even discover that they're poetry fans, too.

A collection of articles linked together by the topic of baseball

A collection of ten short stories from popular, contemporary authors that celebrate the joys of America's favorite pasttime and the wonder, frustration, and delight of its fans.

Loosely based on Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," twelve-year-olds Trish and Ben should be automatic friends because they both play baseball on a Little League team in Comity, Massachusetts, and they both love solving math puzzles, but obstacles stand in their way.

1845: Felix Schneider, an immigrant from Germany, cheers the New York Knickerbockers as they play Three-Out, All-Out. 1908: Walter Snider, batboy for the Brooklyn Superbas, arranges a team tryout for a black pitcher by pretending he is Cuban. 1945: Kat Snider of Brooklyn plays for the Grand Rapids Chicks in the All-American Girls Baseball League. 1981: Michael Flint finds himself pitching a perfect game during the Little League season at Prospect Park. And there are five more Schneiders to meet. In nine innings, this novel tells the stories of nine successive Schneider kids and their connection to Brooklyn and baseball. As in all family histories and all baseball games, there is glory and heartache, triumph and sacrifice. And it ain't over till it's over.

In this perfectly pitched novel-in-letters, autistic eleven-year-old Vivy Cohen won't let anything stop her from playing baseball--not when she has a major-league star as her pen pal. Vivy Cohen is determined. She's had enough of playing catch in the park. She's ready to pitch for a real baseball team. But Vivy's mom is worried about Vivy being the only girl on the team, and the only autistic kid. She wants Vivy to forget about pitching, but Vivy won't give up. When her social skills teacher makes her write a letter to someone, Vivy knows exactly who to choose- her hero, Major League pitcher VJ Capello. Then two amazing things happen- A coach sees Vivy's amazing knuckleball and invites her to join his team. And VJ starts writing back! Now Vivy is a full-fledged pitcher, with a catcher as a new best friend and a steady stream of advice from VJ. But when a big accident puts her back on the bench, Vivy has to fight to stay on the team.

Louis isn't very good at playing baseball, but he knows and loves the game more than anybody. He loves the purity of the sport, the sound of the crack of a bat, and the smell of freshly cut grass in the stadium. And more than anything, he loves the New York Yankees. So when he becomes a bat boy for the team during the summer of 1961, it is a dream come true. Lucky gives readers baseline box seats to one of the most memorable seasons in sports history, and as Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris compete in their legendary home-run race, Louis learns that the heroes he looks up to can teach him life lessons that will change him forever.

A young white batboy treats Jackie Robinson differently than the other, white, members of the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers--and so does everyone else. But eventually Jackie's patience and talent wear down the racist attitudes of those around them and earn their respect. A backmatter section provides additional information on Jackie's life.

A heartwarming, funny, fast-paced story about the bravery it takes to live as your true self, no matter the cost. Ten-year-old Caspar "Caz" Cadman loves baseball and has a great arm. He loves the sounds, the smells, the stats. When his family moves from Toronto to a suburb of Seattle, the first thing he does is try out for the local summer team, the Redburn Ravens. Even though Caz is thrilled when he makes the team, he worries because he has a big secret. No one in this city knows that before Caz told his parents he was a boy, he lived a very different life. It's nobody's business. Caz will tell his new friends when he's ready. But when a player on a rival team starts snooping around, Caz's past is revealed, and Caz worries it will be Toronto all over again. Will Caz's teammates rally behind their star pitcher? Or will Caz be betrayed once more?

On deck and ready for your reading lineup, New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Brian Lies's ode to "batty" baseball fans. You think humans are the only ones who enjoy America's national pastime? Grab your bat--the other kind--and your mitt, because it's a whole new ballgame when evening falls and bats come fluttering from the rafters to watch their all-stars compete. Get set to be transported to the right-side-up and upside-down world of bats at play, as imagined and illustrated by bestselling author-illustrator Brian Lies. Hurry up! Come one--come all! We're off to watch the bats play ball!

In a story Inspired by Sandy Koufax a Little League ballplayer must choose between playing an important game and attending synagogue on Yom Kippur.

Eighteen-year-old Jill Cafferty just made history. Her high school's star pitcher, she is now the first woman drafted by a major league baseball team. Only days after her high school graduation, she'll join the Pittsburgh Pirates' Class A Short Season team . . . but not everyone is happy to have her there. On top of the pressure heaped on every pitcher, Jill must deal with defying conventions and living up to impossible expectations, all while living away from home for the first time. She'll go head-to-head against those who are determined to keep baseball an all-male sport. Despite the reassurance of coaches and managers alike, a few of her teammates are giving her trouble. The media presence following her at each game is inescapable. And to top it all off, Jill is struggling with the responsibilities of being a national hero and a role model for young women everywhere. How can she be a role model when she's not even sure she made the right choice for herself Didn't baseball used to be fun This literary and engrossing story of a young woman trying to mark out a place for herself in a male-dominated world will captivate fans of Friday Night Lights, The Art of Fielding, John Corey Whaley, and Laurie Halse Anderson.

The love between brothers is key to Matt Tavares's tale of Dominican pitcher Pedro Martínez, from his days of throwing rocks at mangoes to his years as a major-league star. Before Pedro Martínez pitched the Red Sox to a World Series championship, before he was named to the All-Star team eight times, before he won the Cy Young three times, he was a kid from a place called Manoguayabo in the Dominican Republic. Pedro loved baseball more than anything, and his older brother Ramon was the best pitcher he'd ever seen. He'd dream of the day he and his brother could play together in the major leagues--and here, Matt Tavares tells the story of how that dream came true. In a fitting homage to a modern day baseball star, the acclaimed author-illustrator examines both Pedro Martínez's improbable rise to the top of his game and the power that comes from the deep bond between brothers.

Twelve-year-old Casey Snowden knows everything about being an umpire. His dad and grandfather run a New Jersey umpire school, Behind the Plate, and Casey lives and breathes baseball. Casey's dream, however, is to be a reporter--objective, impartial, and fair, just like an ump. But when he stumbles upon a sensational story involving a former major league player in exile, he finds that the ethics of publishing it are cloudy at best. This emotionally charged coming-of-age novel about baseball, divorce, friendship, love, and compassion challenges its readers to consider all the angles before calling that strike.

This was a brand-new baseball season, and the Champs were ready to go in their spiffy clean uniforms. Nevermind that the previous year they finished last in the North American Mammal League, this season would be different. But when a Wombat wanders onto the field opening game day, the Champs have no idea just how different the game was about to become.

Satchel Paige began his baseball career in the Negro Leagues in Alabama in the 1920s. For years, Jim Crow laws, which segregated blacks and whites, kept him out of the major leagues. But they couldn't stop him from becoming a world-class athlete. This is a fictionalized account of a real-life sports hero

Hilda Fronske helps teachers learn how to correctly and effectively demonstrate sports skills so that students will remember the skills. A wide variety of sports are covered, from volleyball to archery.
Includes section on Baseball

This book is designed to foster independent study, research, writing, and oral presentation skills in students in grades four through six. The lessons, which integrate several content areas, can be used for enrichment or extension in the classroom or as a homework assignment. The forty lessons, four for each of ten months, September through June, are connected to a famous person or event associated with that month. An index indicates the content areas and skills taught in each lesson.
Includes a lesson about Babe Ruth

With more than 80 activities in each book, these valuable resources will enrich your curriculum. For each activity, literature links promote reading, while Internet links encourage the best use of technology. Individual and team projects for K-5 classrooms, connected to NCTE standards.
Includes activities for Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson

101 Fun Warm-Up and Cool-Down Games provides the antidote to the age-old warm-up and cool-down routines of jogging and stretching. These games engage students and athletes in fun warm-ups that will prepare them mentally and physically for their activity and cool-downs that will help them recover.
Includes section on baseball

Includes various math related activities for grades 5-6.
Includes activity connected to baseball

Shows the various physical forces at play in the pitch, the hit, the flight of the ball and the run around the bases

The 20th century was ripe with Olympic heroes and professional sports icons. Explore the careers of sports legends in baseball, boxing, track and field, and swimming. Segments cover Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Joe Louis, Jesse Owens, and Gertrude Ederle

Who was the greatest baseball hitter of all time? How likely is it that a poll is correct? Is it smart to buy last year's highest-performing stock? These questions all involve the interpretation of statistics, and this film is an introduction to this vitally important subject in today's data-driven society. Explanations for terms such as mean, median, percentile, quartile, statistically significant, and bell curve, and scores of other statistical concepts are covered. The emphasis is on the role of statistics in daily life, giving a broad overview of how statistical tools are employed in risk assessment, college admissions, drug testing, fraud investigation, and a host of other applications.

Includes a number of lessons about calculus.
Lesson 17 is called "Galileo, Newton, and baseball"

Tells the story of an exceptional baseball player and committed humanitarian, who challenged racial discrimination to become baseball's first Latino superstar. The film features interviews with David Maraniss, George F. Will, Clemente's wife Vera, Orlando Cepeda, and former teammates, to present an intimate and revealing portrait of a man whose passion and grace made him a legend.

This collection includes a number of Peanuts television specials, including "Charlie Brown's All-Stars": Will new uniforms and league membership help transform a hard-luck team into winners?

30 years, 30 stories, 30 filmmakers: 30 years of sports covered in 30 stories by 30 different film directors
Includes stories related to Baseball

Moneyball is a quest for something as elusive as the Holy Grail, something that money apparently can't buy: the secret of success in baseball. The logical places to look would be the giant offices of major league teams and the dugouts. But the real jackpot is a cache of numbers collected over the years by a strange brotherhood of amateur baseball enthusiasts: software engineers, statisticians, Wall Street analysts, lawyers, and physics professors. In a narrative full of fabulous characters and brilliant excursions into the unexpected, Lewis shows us how and why the new baseball knowledge works. He also sets up a sly and hilarious morality tale: Big Money, like Goliath, is always supposed to win . . . how can we not cheer for David?

These open-ended Holiday & Seasonal Chipper Chat game boards will provide hours of fun all year 'round. The open-ended, themed game boards display celebrations, holidays, famous Americans' birthdays, and national observances every month of the year from back to school to the end of summer.
Choose your teaching topics: articulation, fluency, reading, math...any lesson! Students earn magnetic chips by making correct responses. After filling a game board with chips, the fun begins as the students move the magnetic wand over them and watch the chips "fly!"
Contains a game board related to Baseball