From Publishers Weekly
Practice makes perfect pitchAin more ways than oneAin this clever picture book about giving one's all to a favorite pursuit. With a minimum of words and a confident reliance on her jaunty illustrations, McCully focuses on a mouse family (closely related to the mice in the wordless Picnic). Young Monk the mouse loves to watch all the bigger kids play baseball in the park, and one day he's asked to fill in for an injured player. Alas, Monk strikes out all the way around: "They weren't angry. It was worse than that. They felt sorry for him." Determined to hone his baseball skills, Monk begins a rigorous practice routine with the support of his parents. Unfortunately, Dad and Mom are musicians and "not what you'd call... natural athletes." But music and baseball dovetail when Monk finds himself pitching the ball in time to Dad and Mom's tune. Before long, Monk is the new ace pitcher on the big kids' teamAand Dad and Mom's band performs at every game. McCully is at the top of her game in this cheery outing. The well-crafted story expresses important ideas and delicately balances humor with a bounty of universal, realistic situations young readers will recognize. The mouse dialogue, which appears as handwritten asides within the artwork, gives the furry characters heart and depth. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-McCully's mice are back-this time with words-to delight old fans and win new ones. While this may not be the same family featured in Picnic (1984) and First Snow (1985, both HarperCollins), the characters are just as charming. Young Monk loves baseball. One day, the big kids invite him to fill in for an injured right fielder. He misses a big catch, however, and he's mortified when the older athletes turn him away not with anger, but with pity. His musician parents are supportive but clueless. So, against the rhythmic backdrop provided by their band practice, he sets out to teach himself the skills he needs. The slightly larger format provides McCully with plenty of room for all of the activity and still offers space for occasional bits of dialogue (Monk's cello-playing dad says, "Score lots of goals, son"). The illustrations, done in pen and ink and watercolor, include close-ups that capture individual personalities along with more expansive scenes. McCully also makes excellent use of the page's white space, particularly when Monk finally manages to impress the older players with his pitching arm. Children will celebrate along with Monk when his hard work pays off.
Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PACopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
