DK Readers: MLB Super Shortstops (Level 4: Proficient Readers) [Hardcover]

DK Publishing (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: DK READERS

The MLB Readers give them exactly what they want: cool photographs and amazing facts to encourage reading. Are three of the greatest shortstops in baseball history playing right now? Read their stories and find out! These 48-page books about fascinating subjects like pirates, mummies, and volcanoes are for proficient readers who can understand a rich vocabulary and challenging sentence structure. In addition to the stunning photographs, informative sidebars, and glossary, readers will find archival photographs and paintings. Averaging 4,500 to 5,000 words in length, Level 4 books are 40 percent pictures and 40 percent text. The Dorling Kindersley Readers combine an enticing visual layout with high-interest, easy-to-read stories to captivate and delight young bookworms who are just getting started. Written by leading children's authors and compiled in consultation with literacy experts, these engaging books build reader confidence along with a lifelong appreciation for nonfiction, classic stories, and biographies. There is a DK Reader to interest every child at every level, from preschool to grade 4.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Kids 6-10 will enjoy these volumes... (Baseball Weekly)

About the Author

James Buckley, Jr. has written about sports for more than 15 years, including a stint as the editorial projects manager for Sports Illustrated. Today, he is the editorial director of the Shoreline Publishing Group, a book, magazine, and Web site editorial services company. Buckley also is the author of nearly 20 sports books for children, including DK's Eyewitness Baseball and four baseball-themed Dorling Kindersley Readers. He lives in Santa Barbara with his wife Patty and son Conor, a future Major League superstar.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN (March 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789473496
• ISBN-13: 978-0789473493
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,077,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Young readers enter the debate on who is the best SS today, January 3, 2003

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: DK Readers: MLB Super Shortstops (Level 4: Proficient Readers) (Paperback)

"Super Shortstops: Jeter, Nomar, and A-Rod" asks the burning question: "Are three of the greatest shortstops in baseball history playing right now?" Certainly this is a question a lot of baseball fans have been asking, especially last year when all three of these shortstops were named to the American League team (along with two other, including Miguel Tejada, who ended up being the MVP). Towards answering that question James Buckley, Jr. begins by reviewing the history of the position, from Honus Wagner to Cal Ripken, Jr. Over another dozen former and current great shortstops are mentioned throughout the book in the margins and the concluding, "Who's Next" section, but the focus is clearly on the big three. Rodriguez is "A-Rod!", Jeter is "King of the Yankees," and Garciapara is "The Pride of Boston." The career highlights of each shortstop are covered and the statistics of these "Three amigos" through 1999 are provided in the back. However, if Buckley really wanted to make his case he could have offered up some similar statistics for Wagner, Banks, et al. to show exactly how this trio matches up with the best of all time. I think this would clearly prove that Jeter, Nomar, and A-Rod all deserve to be in the Top 10 of all-time and that offensively Rodriguez would be at the top of the list. Of coruse, this raises some other interesting questions as well: Who would you rather have? A-Rod with his 40-50 home runs or Jeter with his four World Series rings?

This is a level 4 Dorling Kindersley Reader, intended for proficient readers. It is filled with nice photographs and perhaps an over abundance of information in the margins on everything from batting gloves to what a yellow jacket is (besides the Georgia Tech mascot). Buckley brings a nice sense of the history of the shortstop position to this volume, which should be of interest to all young baseball fans, even if they root for teams other than the Yankees, Red Sox, and whoever A-Rod is playing for this year.