At the start of the 1920 baseball season, 16-year-old Hank Cobb is assigned to train the New York Giants’ new mascot, a Mexican wildcat named Bill Pennant. Bill’s not too trainable, though, even with the help of sardines and mice. And if Hank can’t handle a cat, how can he handle his next charge, an undisciplined slugger for the Yankees named Babe Ruth? Ruth’s manager asks Hank to keep an eye on Ruth, and since both teams play at the same stadium, it’s doable. But is it wise? A disastrous “road trip” to Coney Island lands both Babe and Hank in hot water with their respective managers. Hank, who’s fallen under Babe’s spell, walks out on the Giants, determined to ditch school and become a big-league ballplayer. But another, far more serious incident, causes Hank to rethink his priorities. Evocative descriptions of the sights, sounds, and personalities of baseball’s heyday add to this exciting story about loyalty, responsibility, and the rules of the game — both on and off the field.
A resident of New York's Hudson Valley, Timothy Tocher is the author of 4 novels and 1 nonfiction book for middle grade and YA readers. His poetry and short stories appear in many magazines and anthologies. A former teacher, Timothy enjoys visiting schools, libraries and conferences.
ODD BALL: HILARIOUS, UNUSUAL, AND BIZARRE BASEBALL MOMENTS (Marshall Cavendish, 2011) presents some of the oddest and most amusing incidents in baseball's long history using black and white comic strips drawn by the talented Stacy Curtis.
CHIEF SUNRISE, JOHN MCGRAW, AND ME (Cricket Books, 2004) was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association. The sequel, BILL PENNANT, BABE RUTH, AND ME (Cricket Books, 2009) received a starred Kirkus review. Newbery Award winning author Richard Peck called it, "Heart speeding history at its finest," in his cover blurb.
LONG SHOT and PLAYING FOR PRIDE (Meadowbrook Press, 2001 and 2002)feature Laurie Bird Preston, a middle school girl who loves to compete in sports. Living in a single parent household, Laurie struggles to match her success in athletics in the other facets of her life.
