What It Is
Famous hitter Boss Swaggert was booed out of the major leagues and was so angry, he set out to make baseball illegal. He worked hard and became a very rich, powerful and greedy man, and built factories on the sites of every ballpark.
Years later, young Georgie was born and couldn’t help but yell out baseball sayings, such as “no hitter” and “going, going, gone.” He had quite a throwing arm too. Eventually, he was arrested because of his baseball outbursts and to be set free, his lawyer arranged one single baseball game. If Georgie could strike out Swaggert, he could go free, and baseball could once again be the nation’s favorite past time. I won’t spoil the ending for everyone, but given the target audience, I’m sure you can guess what happens.
Why It’s Fun
What would the world be like with no baseball? That wouldn’t be fun for many, and this is a great summer book for any baseball fan—even casual ones. And, it’s got a nice message about standing up for what you believe is right. The story reminds me of the animated holiday classic, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” when toys were outlawed by the Burgermeister. Fantasies such as these are great ways for kids to learn an “anti-bullying” lesson because they can think about the consequences of keeping quiet within the context of something that would never happen.
Who It’s For
The recommended age range is pre-K and older, but because of it’s longer length, complex plot and scary graphics, six and up is about right.
What To Be Aware Of
The illustrations are quite dark with some pretty angry characters who display harsh expressions.
Sign In
Don’t have an account?
Create one here.