Stealing Home: The Story Of Jackie Robinson (Scholastic Biography) [Paperback]

Barry Denenberg (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Scholastic Biography

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field as a Brooklyn Dodger and changed American baseball forever.

The first black man to play in the white major leagues, he had the courage to confront racism and fight for the rights of all black people, on and off the baseball diamond. He shattered the color barrier, and with tremendous skill and determination, he became not only one of the most legendary baseball players of all time, but also a great American hero.

Half a century later, Jackie Robinson's extraordinary story remains an important contribution to America's favorite pastime and to American history.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- Still another biography of the black baseball pioneer. Denenberg provides an even and straightforward account of Robinson's life on and off the baseball diamond, balancing his athletic skills with his social significance and exploits outside of the sports arena. Occasional typos and errors in sports terminology do appear but are minor in context. A brief but interesting look at innovations to the game provided by the all-black baseball leagues will be of interest to serious baseball fans. The standard black-and-white photographs, many of which are found in the plethora of juvenile Robinson biographies that abound, are included here. No index or other appendixes are included. The reading level, writing style, and information is similar to Mark Alvarez's The Official Baseball Hall of Fame Story of Jackie Robinson (S. & S., 1990). --Tom S. Hurlburt, Rio Rancho Public Library, NM
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; 1St Edition edition (May 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590425609
• ISBN-13: 978-0590425605
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #241,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( R ) > Robinson, Jackie
  • #85 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Baseball

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stealing home: The Story of Jackie Robinson, November 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Stealing Home: The Story Of Jackie Robinson (Scholastic Biography) (Paperback)

This book opened the eyes of 25 fifth graders to a world they new little or nothing about. I used it as a read aloud in my classroom, with outstanding sucess. The kids loved it. "Stealing Home" tells the story of Robinson, from his childhood in Pasedena, CA where his was the only black family in an all-white neighborhood, through college at UCLA and on into his career. Barry Denenberg, the author, recreates Jackie's life in a way that keeps the reader's interest throughout. In fact, this biography reads a little like a novel. In telling the story of Robinson, Denenberg also paints a portrait of all-black baseball leagues, the pressures faced as the first black man in established white baseball, and an America that excluded a huge portion of its citizens. This background is essential to young readers' ability to comprehend the true story, to be able to appreciate what Mr. Robinson faced in his career and life. However, Denenberg also focuses on the good relationships he had with his wife, Rachel, and Branch Rickey the man who took a chance and gave us one of the best players in history. "Stealing Home" is the story of Jackie Robinson, but it is also the story of the civil rights movement and of the diversification of American sports in a way that made our country richer and wiser.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jackie Robinson, March 7, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Stealing Home: The Story Of Jackie Robinson (Scholastic Biography) (Paperback)

The beginning of this book starts off with the childhood of Jackie Robinson. His childhood was hard because it said that his mom had a hard time making money because she was a single mother and she was African American. His childhood was also hard because he got into a lot of fights in his neighborhood. He was the best athlete in this neighborhood. Then he becomes better know as an athlete during high school. For his first year of college he went to a small junior college then he got a lot of scholarships. He took one close to home, UCLA. He was a star athlete in all sports. During college he met his future wife, Rachel. After college he joined the army. In he army he trained to be a lieutenant in the Officer's Candidate School. After the army he joined the Negro Leagues. He was on the Kansas City Monarchs. He had to travel a lot, which Rachel didn't like. Then Branch Rickey, the manager for the major league team Brooklyn Dodgers, wanted a black athlete on his team. So he sent out a lot of scouts and one found Jackie. So Rickey drafted Jackie and they talked about what they were doing then Jackie was the first African American in the Major Leagues. Those were the highlights of Jackie Robinson's life.
I liked this book because it showed how it was really hard to be a black person back then. It was even harder for Jackie because he had to deal with pretty much every body hating him because he was black. I also liked it because Jackie Robinson came over the odds and became this is black in the Major Leagues.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars non foretful book, March 2, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Stealing Home: The Story Of Jackie Robinson (Scholastic Biography) (Paperback)

The reason i like this book is because it describes a lot on one person. im not much of a biography reader myself, but this one was different. this story made me learn that back then they wouldn't let the blacks play just because of there skin color! I mean i already knew that before but Jackie robinson changed the whole worlds meaning to the the blacks enabling to do the same thing same things as the whites! I could definetly recomend this book to anyone because it not only talks about Jackie himself, it makes you remember him for the rest of your life! So just dont forget about this because it could change your ways of thinking for the rest of your lives!!