Oliver's Game (Tavares baseball books) [Hardcover]

Matt Tavares (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Tavares baseball books

Author-illustrator Matt Tavares hits the ball out of the park with a luminously illustrated tale about the joy of baseball, generational bonds, and the immutable power of dreams.

Oliver Hall loves baseball. He loves the ritual of helping out in his grandfather’s store, Hall’s Nostalgia, and he loves listening to Grandpa Hall’s innumerable baseball stories. But one day, Oliver makes a startling discovery. It seems his grandfather has kept one very special story a secret: his own. With stunning black-and-white and sepia-tone illustrations and a heartwarming narrative, Matt Tavares portrays one man’s lifelong love of the game, and the enduring legacy he passes on to his grandchild.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4–As he did in Zachary's Ball (Candlewick, 2000), Tavares creates a moving tribute to baseball. Young Oliver Hall is named after his grandfather, who runs a collectibles store near Wrigley Field. They share a love of the sport and Oliver relishes his grandfather's stories about the "Golden Age of the Game." When the boy uncovers an old Chicago Cubs uniform, he is astonished to discover that it belongs to his grandfather. The man relates how, back in 1941 when he was 18 years old, the Cubs' manager saw him playing stickball, invited him to practice with the team, and gave him a uniform. After watching Oliver hit one over the bleachers, the manager encouraged him to try out for the team. However, when Pearl Harbor was bombed, Oliver joined the Marines instead. After suffering a career-ending injury, he returned home to find that baseball evoked bittersweet feelings, until the thrilling World Series of 1945 reawakened his love for it. The sepia-toned illustrations, done in pencil and watercolor, create a lushly nostalgic mood. Reminiscent of Chris Van Allsburg's style, Tavares's artwork is notable for its vivid detail and animation. The text masterfully weaves together tradition, perseverance, loyalty, and family lore, and the result will enchant baseball fans young and old. Pair this well-crafted offering with Donald Hall's excellent When Willard Met Babe Ruth (Harcourt, 1996).–Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-4. A bit of baseball history and some World War II memory come together in this evocative picture book for older children. Oliver loves working in his grandfather's baseball memorabilia store, right across from Wrigley Field. When he finds an old Cubs uniform, he asks his grandfather about it. Grandpa spins an involving story of the stickball player he was, invited to practice with the team. Then came the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted, and baseball seemed far away. A war injury kept him from playing again. He tells his grandson, though, that he still feels a part of the game, watching from the roof of the building where the shop is and cheering his team on. Marvelously executed pencil illustrations colored in sepia tones gently capture the spirit and the time. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (February 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763618527
• ISBN-13: 978-0763618520
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 0.4 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,790,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

About me

I grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. I have always loved to draw. My parents say I've been drawing since I was two years old. During high school I took figure drawing classes at Boston University on weekends (a special class for high school students), and then in college I majored in Studio Art. For my senior thesis at Bates College, I wrote and illustrated my first picture book, Sebastian's Ball. Two years later, after much revision, Sebastian's Ball became ZACHARY'S BALL, my first published book. Now I live in Ogunquit, Maine with my wife, Sarah, and our two daughters.


About my work

My first books were illustrated in pencil, partly because that was the medium I felt most comfortable with at the time and partly because monochromatic illustrations felt right for those stories. Since then, my style and process has changed considerably, mostly because I found myself illustrating stories that simply demanded some color. For example, the beanstalk in JACK AND THE BEANSTALK just needed to be green, and the golden eggs needed to have a bright, yellow glow. Now I mostly work in full color, with watercolor and gouache. I try to let each story guide me, and adapt my process accordingly.


Three things you didn't know about me

1. The best birthday gift I've ever gotten was the drafting table my parents got for me when I turned ten. I still use it today. There are other tables in my studio, but I do all my drawing and painting at the table I got for my 10th birthday.

2. I once played on a softball team that lost every single game. Zero wins and sixteen losses! We did much better the next season though- we even won a playoff game!

3. A poster of Boston Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe reading my book, ZACHARY'S BALL, was once given out to the first 10,000 fans at a Boston Red Sox game! This was wonderful, until Derek Lowe entered the game in the 9th inning and proceeded to blow the lead for the Red Sox. Hundreds of people threw their posters onto the field, and the game had to be stopped for several minutes while the ground crew gathered all the posters!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True American Story, June 5, 2006

By 

Objective Book Review "Fair and Balanced" (Fairfield County, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oliver's Game (Tavares baseball books) (Hardcover)

This book is terrific. It is a simple tale of a boy and his love of baseball. It discreetly informs the reader how baseball is so unique, as it is composed of so many people. Not just the players. Although recently written, it captures the feeling of the 1940's. It empowers one to respect the players, as well as the spectators, who are integral to the game. For all who love the game, whether you have played or not, it is a great tale.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good: But a Lot to Explain to a 4-year Old, October 27, 2008

By 

Meredith "Pierce'sMom" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oliver's Game (Tavares baseball books) (Hardcover)

We received this as a gift for my son's 4th birthday and read it to him without 'vetting' it first.
The character in the book decides to serve his country instead of playing Pro ball. When he returns from war, his injuries prevent him from playing and he requires a cane to walk. When he first returns from war, he finds it hard to watch the game, but later he enjoys being a part of the game as a spectator.
Fortunately, we'd never had to explain the concept of war to our son. (He doesn't watch the news and we have no immediate relations serving in the military). It's a little bit of a sad story, but has good lessons. My son continues to choose it as a bedtime book. And once we were over the initial surprise that we had to answer questions about combat - my husband and I are happy to read it to him.
Very nice illustrations and about a 5 minute read.