Review of “Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?”

I don’t get too many repute review children’s books but when I do I always find a good one. That certainly was the case with this one, based on the author’s childhood experiences. 

 Title/Author:

“Can We Play Baseball, Mr. DeMille?” by Mark Angelo

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: So many young boys dream of becoming professional athletes. In the late 1950’s, most of those dreams were about becoming Major League Baseball players. That was the case for Mark Angelo and many years later he has taken that dream and drafted a wonderful children’s book. 

With excellent drawing by Patricia and Robin DeWitt to illustrate this story, it tells of Angelo’s attempts to play ball with his friends despite the lack of adequate playing fields. Living in Los Angeles when the Dodgers move west, Mark dreams of becoming a Dodger but only the yard of his neighbor Cecil DeMille is large enough to allow playing baseball. 

How the young boy works up the courage to ask the title’s question and the eventual answer is not only a good story, but also a good lesson for adults on the importance of allowing space for children to play, whether baseball or other activities. The book is very good for readers from 6 to 10 and will not only be a good story for them, but may also bring back some childhood memories for the adults.

I wish to thank Freisen Press for providing a copy of the book  in exchange for an honest review.

Link:https://www.amazon.com/Can-Play-Baseball-Mr-DeMille/dp/1039153836/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3SV12Q3ICOPEV&keywords=can+we+play+baseball%2C+mr.+demille&qid=1684281092&sprefix=Can+we+play+%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1

Two short reviews - "The Sea Lanterns" and "Sky, the Deaf Home Run Hero"

This is the third post for not only a book I completed on the train, but also a short children's book for which I received a review request.  I will share a short review on each one.

First review: 

Title/Author: "The Sea Lanterns" by Ben Nickol

Synopsis: Marooned at a backwater college and hungry for more, Athletic Director Scott Darrow plots his ascent to a better job at a better school.

He has the talent, charm and Machiavellian nerve to go far, but when he hires a famous coach to run his basketball program, the coach proves to be unstable and possibly insane.

Now, to escape professional oblivion, Darrow must maneuver and manipulate this coach, and manage the town’s intensifying suspicions. No measure is too drastic. No tactic too cruel. But complicating Darrow’s work is his own unsettled history, and in wrestling with this history, Darrow begins to understand his frail coach with jarring personal clarity.

Perhaps the two men aren’t as dissimilar as they’d seemed. And perhaps Darrow’s future—even if it’s triumphant—will mean not banishing his ghosts, but living forever in their company.

Rating: 3 stars of 5 (okay)

Review: To be completely honest, I am not sure what to make of this book. I really could not figure out the plot, not even at the very end. Was it about Dr. Darrow wanting to leave Fog Harbor for a better job in Albany? Was it about coach Leo Kelly and his eccentric personality? Was it about basketball, especially the college administrators such as the chancellor and athletic director? Or was it possibly something deeper that I just didn’t grasp? I never got the questions answered but I like the development of the characters, especially Dr. Darrow, Coach Kelly and Darrow’s girlfriend Jade. I’ll never give a bad word a bout a book I finish and while I may not have been able to completely understand the plot, I think readers will enjoy this book.

I received an advance review copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Second review:

Title/Author: "Sky, the Deaf Home Run Hero: by Mickey Carolan

Synopsis: Although young Sky was born deaf, it doesn’t stop him from doing what he loves most: playing baseball!

Eager and determined, he works hard on his skills until every ball he hits soars out of the ballpark like an eagle… Sky has a superpower! But when the bullies try to bring Sky down, will his new superpower give him the courage to face them?

Inspired by his late father who was deaf, author Mickey Carolan masterfully brings an authentic story of resilience and friendship for families and early educators of young children.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: This is an excellent book for children who are either deaf or are victims of bullies. It shows that no matter what obstacles one might face, when a child discovers a "super power" they have, they can use it and show that they are someone who can blend in with just about any group they choose. I really enjoyed not only reading about Sky's super power but the illustrations were excellent as well. While I don't read or review many children's books with a sports theme, I decided to try this and I am glad that I did.

I received an advance review copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Review of "S is for the Stanley Cup" - children's book

I was thrilled to receive a request to review a children's hockey book.  Last spring, I took my grandson to his first hockey game and he had a blast.  I am visiting him again in a couple weeks and I plan on going to another one with him.  Thanks to this request, I now have a book to help him learn more about the game as well.  Here is my review of "S is for the Stanley Cup."

Title/Author:

“S is for the Stanley Cup: A Hockey Championship Alphabet” by Mike Ulmer, illustrated by Chris Lyons

Tags:

Ice Hockey, championship, children’s book

Publish date:

August 15, 2017

Length:

32 pages

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

The Stanley Cup is one of the best known and much loved championship trophies in sports.  It has a colorful history and many interesting tales outside of the hockey rink.  In this book written for children ages 6 to 9, Mike Ulmer tells this history and some other related hockey poems in poems that start with each letter alphabetically.  To go with each poem, a short story consisting of one or two paragraphs will further explain the word used to start the poem and its importance to hockey. 

While most of the letters are devoted to the Stanley Cup, there are poems and stories about players, funny events with the trophy such as baptizing babies and even a parade of Zambonis. The latter is the last page of the book and describes the 1997 Zamboni parade in St. Paul, Minnesota to celebrate being awarded a franchise before a new arena was built.

While the stories and poems make for fun reading by themselves, the illustrations by Chris Lyons are the best features of this book.  The drawings of famous players such as Jacques Plante, Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier are especially impressive as Lyons is able to capture their facial features in good detail so that adults who are reading along with the child will be able to easily recognize these players. 

If a child is interested in hockey, then this book is one that he or she should read. The child will learn a lot about the game and smile at some of the funny stories and have that learning enhanced by the wonderful illustration.

I wish to thank Sleeping Bear Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying Links:

http://sleepingbearpress.com/shop/show/11748

https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Cup-Championship-Alphabet-Sleeping/dp/1585369721/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1507594338&sr=8-1

Review of "We Are the Ship"

While on a long drive back home from visiting family members this past weekend, I decided to listen to an audio book on baseball's Negro Leagues.  I have not listened to an audio book in a long time, so it was a treat to do so.   It was doubly so because this was a very entertaining book to listen to and enjoyable as well.   So, to end 2013, I am posting this review of "We Are the Ship."  Enjoy the review and I wish you a happy and prosperous 2014.   Oh, and I will still be reviewing books as well.  In fact, there are a couple of my resolutions that I am making that are about this blog, so I will be posting them as well.   Happy New Year!

Title/Author:

“We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball” by Kadir Nelson (audio book narrated by Dion Graham)

Tags:

Baseball, history, Negro Leagues

Published:

February 1, 2009

Length:

1 hour 55 minutes total reading time

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

There have been many books written about the history of the Negro Leagues, so there was really not a lot of new material to be reviewed in this book by Kadir Nelson.  However, the manner in which this book was written and narrated was a refreshing version of the history of players who deserve all the accolades they deserve for the dedication that they gave to the game they love.

The history of the Negro Leagues, from their beginnings under Rube Foster to the decline of the leagues after Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier, is told from the viewpoint of a narrator who was a player in the Leagues, but remained nameless and team-less.  He can best be described as an “Everyman” type of player.  

This player, personified by the terrific reading of Dion Graham, lets the listener feel like he or she is on the dusty fields with the players on those days they play two or three games.  Or on the buses traveling from city to city with the stories of keeping the driver awake or maybe players sharing driving duties.  Or the problems the player faced during the days of segregation when trying to buy food or find a place to sleep for the night.  Or learn a little more about the superstars of this time, such as Oscar Charleston, Satchel Paige or Josh Gibson. Graham’s smooth delivery and happy personification of the “everyman” player makes it a joy to listen to an audio book.

This is sold as a children’s book, a fact I did not realize until after I listened to it and did a little research on Nelson.   While listening to it, I did not get the impression that this was a children’s book (recommended for ages 8 and up).  The language, while fairly simple, was sophisticated enough to keep older children and adults interested.  There are still many facts that can be learned while reading or listening to this book.   Overall, this is a great book for anyone who wants to either learn a little more about the Negro Leagues or just wants to be entertained by some great baseball stories.  

Did I skim?

No. 

Pace of the book: 

This was a quick book.   As I listened, I actually replayed a few of the sections on the CD as I didn’t want to miss some important information.   The narrator didn’t read it so fast that the information couldn’t be absorbed, but because he was very entertaining as well as informative, I replayed certain sections where I missed something because I was laughing.

Do I recommend? 

Yes.  As mentioned in the review, I believed that I gained a much better understanding of this book in the audio format than I would have had I read the paperback or e-book.   But no matter which format the reader prefers, this book should be added to the reading list of every baseball fan.    

Book Format Read:

Audio Book

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/We-Are-Ship-League-Baseball/dp/0786808322/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388453121&sr=1-1&keywords=we+are+the+ship

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/we-are-the-ship-kadir-nelson/1100548463?ean=9780786808328