Customer Reviews

The Babe & I

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"For my birthday I was hoping my parents would give me a bicycle. They only gave me a dime." The opening of "The Babe and I" alludes to the Great Depression, specifically 1932 Bronx, where the unnamed protagonist loves his family first and baseball second. At least his dad is employed, every morning he pits on a suit and takes his briefcase to his office. "We were lucky. My father had a job. But we never seemed to have much money." Accompanying his friend Jacob on his paper route, he discovers that his Dad's office is a street corner where he sells apples. In fact, every corner has an apple vendor, selling one for a nickel.

However, the reader will notice a schism between the words and the illustrations. If this is the Great Depression, it's the Disneyland version: The houses, streets, and sidewalks are squeaky cleaned, the "shabby and wrinkled" clothes are clean and in one piece, and no stores are boarded up. Illustrator Terry Widener composes nice wide angled street scenes, illustrates the men in a 1930's movie style with broad shoulders and hats, and draws the boys looking prematurely old, but the Depression looks clean and calm. Only when the son asks his father about his secret job do we see a more realistic view of the emotional toil, as he walks sadly down a deserted (but really clean!) street: "Dad didn't say anything after that. I didn't either. We just walked."

Babe Ruth enters the picture when he supports the boy's budding newspaper job. Injured, the yellow-suited Sultan of Swat (also looking a bit too healthy) comes to Yankee stadium and gives him $5.00 for a 25-cent paper. (The Babe's injury, his pinch hitting, and other events reported here are "based on actual events that were reported July 14 through July 22, 1932.) Aside from Ruth's baseball heroics that result in the boy selling more newspapers, that's the entire extent of Babe's role in "The Babe and I," and the title suddenly seems misleading. On the last page, author Adler strains to make the connection more prominent:
"Babe Ruth was part of the 1932 Yankees. That year they were the best team in baseball. He and I were a team, too. His home runs helped me sell newspapers...I knew Dad and I were a team too. We were both working to get our family through hard times." (All this under a picture of the father in a nice blue suit walking from away their well-kept brownstone on an immaculate sidewalk.)

Looking beyond the pictures (and perhaps you'd rather not show signs of poverty to your young one), the book's strength is its portrayal of family dynamics, the father with his secret--and his anger-- and the son trying to help. (The mother doesn't find out, and, in addition, is barely seen.) However, the book should could focused somewhat more realistically on the material and social effects of poverty, or at least emphasized the Babe more. Although there is about little economic hard times, a better book about Ruth's own difficulties is Donald Hall and Barry Moser's "When Willard Met Babe Ruth." "The Babe and I" hints at the era, but I'm still looking for a kids' book that better illustrates the links between the Depression and baseball.

When I first picked up "The Babe & I," I was expecting a book about baseball. While baseball, and Babe Ruth, do figure into the story, it's really an intriguing look into the life of a boy, his mom and secretly unemployed dad, during the Great Depression year of 1932. Once the boy discovers that his dad is actually selling apples to make money, instead of going to his former job each morning, he learns from his friend, Jacob, how to make money selling newspapers in front of Yankee Stadium.

These two "newsies" learn that they can sell more papers by yelling out the latest headlines about Babe Ruth, such as, "The Babe hits number twenty-five! Read all about it!"

This attractive picture book is quick slice of history for young readers, while incorporating an introductory lesson in economics. It's also a lesson in love: a boy's love for his father, and a father's love for his family.

Terry Widener's mural-like illustrations make a nice addition to this heartwarming tale, however the slightly surreal quality makes each scene seem lifeless, when this story is about life, and love, during difficult times. Having said that, they are still attractive and colorful, and do complement the storyline.

And yes, Babe Ruth, does make an touching appearance in this story, set in "that year they were the best team in baseball."

The students in our elementary school library have enjoyed this book.

The Babe and I was a good story because the kid for his birthday he only got a dime and in the 1932, a dime was like two dollars.The kid and his mother always thought that his father had a job but the whole time he had been fired and he was out selling apples.Then they went for a walk him and Jacob and the kid found out that his dad sells apples and he got upset because he saw how hard it was for his dad to make a dime.So then the kid got a job as a newspaper seller and he was tought to sell like a pro and he started making money.Then one day Babe Ruth bought a paper from him and gave him five dollars and he didnt reconize Babe but then he bought tickets for the game and watched BAbe play.Then with the little bit of money he had left he went home and put it into the money jar.

The reason i liked this story was because the kid tried to help his family because he found out that his family needed help.Then he kept the secrect to himself about his dad selling apples because he didnt want his mom to find out.

The book takes place during the Great Depresion,and its about a boy that thinks his family is lucky because his dad didn't loose his job.However in the day of the boy's birth day,the boy finds out that his dad had lost his job and now his selling apples.the boy was really sad, but his friend Jacob offers him to sell news papers with him.The boy starts to sell,and to carry it he borrows the neighbors'carriage.One day thet the boy is selling news paper ,he sells one paper to Babe Ruth and with the money babe pays him the boy and Jacob go to his last game. I rate this picture 4 because I liked the way the author described the emotion of the characters.I also liked the describing details of the settings.

This book was about a family living in the Bronx. This family was very poor. Only the dad. On that day it was the boys birthay. So his dad gave him 10 cents. Because on those days that was enough money 2 eat and pay rent. So one day the dad leaves to work and his son and mom stay home. Then the boys best friend comes over to his house and ask him if he wants to go to work with him. So they did. And on the way home to his friends job they bought an apple for 5 cents. Also on the way he saw his dad selling apples! The boy felt really bad and confused why he wasnt working in a factory? But he didnt way nothing to him or let his dad see him. So his friend thought him for people to by him newspaper to announce Babe's home runs and good palys. And it did work also he even made much more then his dad. Even one day, his favorite baseball players, Babe, bought him a news paper and give him 5 dollors. After he earned a lot his dad found out. But he wasn't mad about it, just emberessed. So what this boy kept doing his job he felt thankful for babe because for his good plays he got a lot of many.

The babe and I was a book about a kid living in New York during the middle of the great depression. He thinks his dad is a business man but soon finds out that hes a "apple seller".
This book is a great childrens because of the fact that it is realistic and teaches kids what life was like in the Great Depression.

this story is great is about a kid that he find outs that's his dad's job is selling tomatoes. he and his frindsstart selling newspaper discober what happens while he sells ordenary newspaper.

What a great way to introduce our children to history. I cried and smiled when I read The Babe and I, just as I did when I read the same author and illustrator's book LOU GEHRIG, THE LUCKIEST MAN.

It all started in 1932 with a birthday dime. A ten-year old boy who lived in the Bronx in New York City was hoping for a bicycle for his birthday, but his parents gave him a dime. Times were tough and on the way to help his friend, Jacob, sell newspapers, the boy spotted a familiar briefcase on Webster Avenue and he wondered why it was there. The boy decided to sell newspapers like Jacob did. When a mystery man gave him a five-dollar bill for a newspsper, the boy was shocked when he was told to keep the change. The boy used some of the five dollars to buy baseball tickets for Jacob and himself so they could see the New York Yankees play.

You will want to read this book to uncover the mystery of the briefcase on Webster Avenue and to learn the identity of the mystery man. We recommend this book to baseball fans and mystery lovers aged 6 and older.

In order to help his family during the Great Depression, a boy works as a newsie selling newspapers on the streets of New York City. His friend, Jacob, who got him the job, shows him where to stand outside Yankee Stadium and yell out headlines about Babe Ruth. It doesn't take long for this budding entrepreneur to learn the ropes of selling papers and using Babe's fame to his advantage.

Though the story itself is fiction, the Great Depression, newsie job, and headlines about Babe Ruth are historical facts which lend this book a true-to-life feeling. As Red Sox fans, we chose to ignore the fact that this book promotes the Yankees and focus on the hard work of the boy and his excitement at running into Babe Ruth.

Over all a really cute baseball book that my young fans have enjoyed.