or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
Sell Us Your Item
For a $1.88 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

Randy Riley's Really Big Hit [Hardcover]

Chris Van Dusen
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)

List Price: $15.99
Price: $11.81 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $4.18 (26%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it tomorrow, June 21? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Image
Looking for the Audiobook Edition?
Tell us that you'd like this title to be produced as an audiobook, and we'll alert our colleagues at Audible.com. If you are the author or rights holder, let Audible help you produce the audiobook: Learn more at ACX.com.

Book Description

February 14, 2012 4 - 8 years
Randy likes space, robots, and baseball, but he can't ace everything . . . or can he? Chris Van Dusen knocks one out of the park with a comical ode to ingenuity.

Randy Riley loves two things: science and baseball. When it comes to the solar system, the constellations, and all things robot, Randy is a genius. But on the baseball diamond? Not so much. He tries . . . but whiffs every time. Then, one night, Randy sees something shocking through his Space Boy telescope: it’s a fireball, and it’s headed right for his town! Randy does the math, summons all of his science smarts, and devises a plan that will save the day in a spectacular way. Once again, Chris Van Dusen winds up his visual humor, dizzying perspectives, perfect pacing, and rollicking rhyme and delivers a hit to make readers stand up and cheer.

Frequently Bought Together

Randy Riley's Really Big Hit + If I Built a House + A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee
Price for all three: $36.44

Buy the selected items together


Editorial Reviews

Review

Van Dusen’s tale is inventive and humorous. Randy is a lovably nerdy genius who is admired for his brains and is part of a team that doesn’t seem to mind his poor batting average. Gouache paintings use clean crisp lines and sharp, bright colors in a variety of perspectives. Everything from the cars in the driveways to the living-room décor places the events in pre-computer, mid-20th-century America. A cunning twist on the heroic home run that wins the game.
—Kirkus Reviews

With all the bases covered-musical text, entertaining artwork, and surefire subject matter-this title bats 1,000 for group or lapsit read-alouds.
—School Library Journal

About the Author

Chris Van Dusen is the author-illustrator of King Hugo's Huge Ego and The Circus Ship, and the illustrator of the best-selling Mercy Watson books by Kate DiCamillo. He lives in Maine.

Product Details

  • Age Range: 4 - 8 years
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Candlewick (February 14, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0763649465
  • ISBN-13: 978-0763649463
  • Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 0.4 x 11.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,370 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
(27)
4.8 out of 5 stars
Beautiful stories and illustrations. NBS  |  12 reviewers made a similar statement
He has written a fun, inspiring story that kids as well as parents will love reading. L. Peters  |  9 reviewers made a similar statement
Our 5 yr. old son absolutely loves this book! The Purple and Flac  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars So Fun! Chris Van Dusen does it again! February 15, 2012
Amazon Verified Purchase
We got this for my son's birthday based on how much we liked Van Dusen's other books (King Hugo's Huge Ego and The Circus Ship). This one did not disappoint! The illustrations are beautiful and the story is very fun. I like that Van Dusen writes his story with poetry.

This one is about a science-loving kid who builds a giant robot to save his town from a meteor fireball. Any boy is sure to love it, and I think the parents will get a kick out of it too. We sure did!

It's a must-have for your children's library. We highly recommend it.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars book for my grandson July 31, 2012
Amazon Verified Purchase
This book was recommended to me and it was a great choice. It is a fun book to read out loud. There is the oppurtunity to use different voices including an announcer. My grandson almost knows the whole book by heart!
I recommend it to you if your little guy likes baseball, robots and school.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Robot + Baseball = Home Run! May 17, 2012
Written in a rhyme-y, rollicking style, nerdy kid Randy loves science and astronomy, but is a flop on the baseball field. One night, he notices an asteroid heading straight for Earth and works on a secret project out back - a giant robot, who uses a chimney stack as a baseball bat to knock the fireball clean out of sight. Colorful gauche illustrations employ a strong mid-century retro aesthetic, in a surburban neighborhood of tract homes. Lots of boy appeal in this one! I highly recommend it.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
5.0 out of 5 stars New favorite author June 10, 2013
By NBS
Amazon Verified Purchase
We LOVE books by Van Dusen. Many authors of children's books use cheesy, forced rhymes. Van Dusen's are clever and mature. Beautiful stories and illustrations. We have Circus Ship, King Hugo's Huge Ego, If I Built a Car, and one of the Mr. McGees (can't remember which one right now). All are wonderful. If you haven't checked out Van Dusen's work yet, get to it! Fun for parents and kids!
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
4.0 out of 5 stars Our family loves Chris Van Dusen June 7, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase
Although this isn't our very favorite Van Dusen book (that would be "If I Built a Car"), we have all enjoyed reading it. We love Mr. Van Dusen's art and illustrations. His rhyme and cadence in his text is so wonderful for reading out loud together. You can't go wrong with any of his books - they are all clever and fun and full of wonderful art. This is a terrific book and we will always buy a new Van Dusen book. Highly recommend this book and any book by Chris Van Dusen.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic or soon will be! May 18, 2013
What a fabulous book...Chris has provided grandparents like me an opportunity for some pretty special bonding time. A well paced, exceptionally written story with tons of opportunity for reading with expression and passion. Illustrations are great as well...This book is destined to become tattered and well worn around our house. If it's possible to nominate this book for an award of merit I would do it. You wont regret it if you buy it but you might if you don't. Be prepared for some wide eyed smiles of delight as you entertain yourselves!! Highly recommended by Grandpa Phil....
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
5.0 out of 5 stars Quickly became a favorite April 22, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase
I checked this book out of the library for my 2.5 year-old twin boys, and we read it so many times that one of them had it memorized within a week. They LOVE this book -- so much so that we bought a copy. And a copy for our friends. We went on to buy "If I Built A Car," but that book wasn't nearly as well-loved as "Randy Riley's Really Big Hit." Now my sons use toilet paper rolls to pretend they're "space boy telescopes" and look out the window at "massive fireballs." I highly recommend it -- it has just enough tension and humor to keep the kids engaged and laughing.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
4.0 out of 5 stars He never stops trying... April 3, 2013
Amazon Verified Purchase
I like that Randy never stops trying to play baseball. Regardless of everything else in the story, it's a story of resilience in never giving up. He doesn't let his continued poor performance in baseball stop him from trying, and trying again. Eventually, his efforts pay off.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful illustrations, great message
We have this book and have bought it for several friends with boys as a gift. The illustrations are wonderful and the message is great: you don't have to be good at sports to do... Read more
Published 2 months ago by David M Miller
3.0 out of 5 stars Randy Riley?
I know a Randy Riley. Is that you? Are you writing books these days? I knew if you put your mind to it, you could pump out some literary gems. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ryan Dickey
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!
This is really a great book for kids! It helps them understand not everyone is good at the same things.
Published 3 months ago by Heather Harle
5.0 out of 5 stars Love, love, love
My boys, my husband, and I love ALL of Chris Van Dusen books. They are simply amazing and a true pleasure to read ... even over and over again. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Alexandra Nims
5.0 out of 5 stars Great illustrations
Nice art work. Sane author as If I built a house or If a built a car. If you like art you have to buy it
Published 5 months ago by Alejandro Del Solo Pérez
4.0 out of 5 stars Another home run!
Chris Van Dusen knocks this book right out of the park. Great story and images keeps my little man entertained.
Published 5 months ago by Mike Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Cute book
Purchased for a 9 year old boy and he loves it. The only draw back is it is under his reading level as he is reading chapter books now. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Beady Eyed
4.0 out of 5 stars A big hit
Such a fun book! My 3 year old loves reading it to himself, I love reading it to him too. The pictures are great as well.
Published 8 months ago by tomora
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Forums

There are no discussions about this product yet.
Be the first to discuss this product with the community.
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 





Look for Similar Items by Category