Girl Wonder : A Baseball Story in Nine Innings (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Terry Widener (Illustrator) "I must have been born to play baseball, because Pop says I was only two when I hurled a corncob at an old tomcat chasing..." (more)
Key Phrases: Girl Wonder

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-A fictional picture book based on the life of Alta Weiss, who at the age of 17 was the first female to pitch baseball for a semipro all-male team, the Vermilion Independents. Hopkinson does an outstanding job of highlighting the young woman's drive and ambition, not letting gender interfere with her goals. "Just sign me up, Coach.- And as sure as `Strike Out' is my middle name, I guarantee you'll sell lots of tickets. Folks are curious to see a girl play." Time divisions within the story are indicated by a ball-and-bat insignia showing the first through the ninth innings. The last page has a time line of women in baseball. A full-page, black-and-white photo of Weiss, ready for the pitch, decorates the back cover. Widener's distinctive acrylic paintings in vivid colors and with exaggerated features further express the strength of this book. Other titles, such as Diana Helmer's Belles of the Ballpark (Millbrook, 1993; o.p.) and Sue Macy's A Whole New Ball Game (Holt, 1995), cover American Girls Professional Leagues, but do not mention Weiss, who played on a men's team. Purchase where there is an audience of girls who play Little League.
Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. "Nothing could keep me from baseball . . . By the time I was seventeen I'd struck out every boy in town." In prose that reflects the easy rhythms of balls and strikes, Hopkinson tells the story of teenager Alta Weiss, who in 1907 pitched for a semipro all-male team in Ohio. Alta's first-person narrative begins with her own memory of playing catch, and her family's image of her throwing a corn cob at a barn cat at the age of two. Alta practices, plays, and wins over the crowd in her first game. That summer she's the draw of her team, the Independents; people come to see "Girl Wonder" play. She plays a second season, but then she goes on to medical school (the only female in the class of 1914). Hopkinson enriches her burnished prose with an author's note about the real Alta Weiss and a chronology of women in baseball. Widener's exaggerated faces and rubbery-looking bodies are set in a picture plane of bright acrylics, where a bat or glove might pop out over the edge: a logo of ball and bats marks the innings of Alta's life. There's a sturdy charm to Alta's voice, and an unmistakable passion for the game. The black-and-white photograph on the back of the dust jacket brings added dimension to the story of a young woman who follows her dreams. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books; 1 edition (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689833008
• ISBN-13: 978-0689833007
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,188,166 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book for Girls and Boys, March 2, 2003

By A Customer

My daughter began playing ball in third grade. She loves this book. The illustrations are fun yet convey a sense of the time period. And the story is great for reading aloud. The best part is seeing a photograph of the real Alta Weiss, the Girl Wonder, on the back cover. That seems to make it real for kids. I am a teacher and I do a unit on women's history every March and will definitely include Girl Wonder on my list of books to read to my students.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My third-grader picked this one out herself!, October 24, 2003

By	"dietrt" (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews

My daughter was attracted to the cover and title of this book. She immediately read it to herself, then asked to read it aloud to me. She loved the story (as well as the adorable pictures) of how a girl was born to play baseball...even though she was the only female on the team. I would highly recommend this book to any girl or boy who would enjoy reading about one smart and determined young lady.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Parents Choice Award Winner, May 18, 2003

By A Customer

Girl Wonder is the winner of a 2003 Parents Choice Gold Award. As a teacher and parent, I rely on the Parents Choice award books. This is a great book to read aloud. If your daughter plays ball, read her this book. The photograph of the real Alta Weiss on the back cover is awesome.