Take Me Out to the Ballgame (Hardcover)

by Jack Norworth (Author), Jim Burke (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-5-Using the complete lyrics to the classic song, Burke creates a rollicking glimpse of baseball's early days. It's 1908, and Katie is devoted to her beloved New York Giants and their ace pitcher, Christy Mathewson. While she and her beau enjoy a hotly contested game, Burke adds tidbits of trivia. Readers learn about Mathewson, the Polo Grounds, pitching, umpires and hand signals, and Cracker Jack, which was introduced in 1893. Fans will enjoy these anecdotes, and many more. The lively paintings capture the infectious excitement of the big game, and Pete Hamill contributes a stirring introduction. Report writers will have to look elsewhere for the complete story, but, overall, Burke has fashioned a sparkling introduction to an exhilarating period in baseball history.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 2-4. The complete lyrics of the famous baseball song, some of which will be unfamiliar to young readers, provide the framework for this commentary on a legendary New York game: the historic and still controversial 1908 showdown between the New York Giants and the Chicago Cubs. Each spread prominently features a line from the song as well as boxed text featuring information about this particular game, plenty of turn-of-the-century baseball trivia, and notes about the song lyrics (the history of Cracker Jack, for instance). Facing pages showcase Burke's stately oil paintings on gessoed board, which build a narrative around the song's little-known fictional character Katie Casey, imagined here as a fan attending the game. An introduction by veteran author and New Yorker Pete Hamill establishes broader historical context, and full song lyrics with musical notation are appended (along with a reproduction of composer Jack Norworth's original manuscript). Despite generous visuals, the history here is dense and eclectically presented; offer this to young readers who are just moving beyond picture books and passionate about the sport. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (March 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316758191
• ISBN-13: 978-0316758192
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #907,497 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is great!, March 18, 2006

By	armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Occasionally a children's book is more than a children's book and that is the case with the sensational baseball song, Take Me Out to the Ball Game. The lyrics are by Jack Norworth and the illustrations are by Jim Burke.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game is a tribute to the game of baseball. In New York City, 1908, entertainer Jack Norworth had never seen a baseball game. But riding the elevated subway overlooking the Giants' field, he found himself inspired and jotted the lyrics to the great American song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Later composer Albert Von Tilzer created the melody for the hit song. With this introduction, we experience the words of the song and fascinating facts about the game of baseball.

What a book! It is magnificent! The illustrations are nostalgic. Truly they are works of art, begging to be touched.

Follow the song (with Katie Casey) and the match-up between the New York Giants and the reigning World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. No matter who you are, where you live, or who you support in baseball, you'll be able to "Root Root Root for the home team. If they don't win it's a shame...."

Armchair Interviews says: For Ages 4-8 per the publishing house but adults will love it also.