Nick Plays Baseball [Hardcover]

Rachel Isadora (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 19, 2001 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Grab the best seats for a homerun combination of practical information and pure fun. The championship game is coming up soon, and Nick can't wait to pitch for his team, the Rockets. Come watch Nick practice with the team and learn about equipment, drills, and positions. Listen to Coach Brian's tips and his advice on good sportsmanship and being a team player. Then, watch the championship game, with an easy-to-understand narration of how Nick's line drive helps bring teammate Mady home to win the game! Chock full of all the information kids need, this will score a big hit with beginning players or kids who just love the game.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

HIsadora (Sophie Skates) heads for the baseball diamond in her latest exploration of sports. Neatly sandwiching nonfiction nuggets into a story about a boy named Nick, his teammates on the Rockets (girls as well as boys) and a championship game, Isadora serves up a lively and informative pastiche. While Nick and his friend Ben warm up for the big game, for instance, captioned spot art shows and identifies the various components of their uniforms; on the facing page, a host of other equipment, from batting helmet to catcher's gear, comes in for the same treatment. As she chronicles the championship game and its triumphant conclusion for the Rockets, Isadora scrutinizes everything from skills and drills to scoring, practice techniques, "Rules to Abide By" ("Never argue with the umpire"), the various positions and "Coach Brian's Tips" (when you slide, "try to keep your foot up to avoid injury"). For all the ground the author covers, her presentation is simple and carefully pared down, keenly attuned to a picture book audience. Watercolor illustrations are precise in their portrayal of the game and its players as they stretch, run, swing, throw and catch, capturing both Nick and his teammates' enthusiasm as well as their athleticism. Just the ticket for aspiring sluggers. Ages 5-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-The book intersperses a story about a boy playing baseball with explanations about the sport. The coach opens the practice session with drills, and the text and illustrations explain how players warm up and practice batting and pitching. On the day of the championship game, Nick unpacks his bag at the field. Baseball equipment is then illustrated and explained. The game begins and an illustration of the diamond shows the nine positions. In the end, Nick's team wins and learns how to line up and shake hands with the opponents. Although some readers may enjoy learning about baseball in the context of a story, the combination of narrative and expository text is not completely successful. The story line is quite thin and, because it is interrupted with informational content, has little dramatic effect. The appealing watercolor illustrations depict a multicultural group of boys and girls and are effective in conveying movement and action. The book would be best for beginning baseball players who are more interested in the sport than a story.-Adele Greenlee, Bethel College, St. Paul, MN

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (March 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399232311
• ISBN-13: 978-0399232312
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,035,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for all ages!, May 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Nick Plays Baseball (Hardcover)

This is finally a baseball book that even a parent can learn from and enjoy. My son, age 5, loved this book. It is an interesting story as well as educational. You will learn all about baseball from "choking up on the bat" to running the bases. It is very informative and fun!! I highly recommend!!!

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book for Little Baseball Fans, May 10, 2009

By 

K. Williams (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nick Plays Baseball (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

My son is 4 1/2 and loves baseball. He seems to really enjoy this book and after we read it he talked about the importance of practice. I wouldn't say it's a "fascinating" book, but it gives us another baseball book to read with good tips.

5.0 out of 5 stars My two-year-old son loves it, March 29, 2009

By 

E. Neal (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nick Plays Baseball (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

My two-year-old son loves baseball and loves this book. It's an excellent book to help a little one learn some of the technical baseball terms.