BCCB-July 2004 Bulletin Dozen

	The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
	The Bulletin Dozen is a monthly theme-based booklist available as an online-only Bulletin feature. Since we're awfully fond of bakers here at the Bulletin, we thought we'd adopt their philosophy of generosity and throw in an extra one or two when we have them to offer--so don't expect an even dozen. Please feel free to copy, download, or link to these lists. We ask only that you cite the source. See the archive for lists from previous months.
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Batter Up!: A Baseball Dozen
--selected by Debra Mitts-Smith

It's summer and this month's Dozens highlights America's favorite past-time, baseball. As these stories illustrate, baseball is more than a game-it is a passion, a way of life, and even a way of looking at life. While the sport is traditionally considered a game for men, several of these books show that among the boys of summer are quite a few girls. Several of these stories make it clear that the playing field, far from offering escape from social problems, often becomes the site on which social tensions are played out. Sometimes, however, baseball's metaphorical magic does come to life, offering hope to players and fans alike. So get your peanuts, popcorn, and hot dogs and settle down to enjoy this all-star line-up of baseball fiction and nonfiction!

Brooks, Bruce. Throwing Smoke. Geringer/HarperCollins, 2000. Gr. 4-8
Whiz, pitcher for a losing team, finds that his homemade baseball cards for imaginary baseball players has called the players themselves into being. (BCCB 5/00)
Chabon, Michael. Summerland. Miramax/Hyperion, 2002. Gr. 6-10
Little Leaguers Ethan Feld and Jennifer T. Rideout are recruited to lead a motley team of beings to stave off the end of the world. (BCCB 1/03)
Cline-Ransome, Lesa. Satchel Paige; illus. by James Ransome. Simon, 2000. Gr. 2-4
A picture-book biography of Satchel Paige focuses on the circumstances that helped to make him the first black pitcher in the major leagues. (BCCB 2/00)
Corey, Shana. Players in Pigtails; illus. by Rebecca Gibbon. Scholastic, 2003. 6-9 yrs
America is at war and young women are recruited to play ball. (BCCB 7/03)
Deuker, Carl. Painting the Black. Houghton, 1997. Gr. 7-10
Ryan's drawn by the promise but disturbed by the dark side of his team's star pitcher. (BCCB 6/97)
Green, Michelle Y. A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson. Dial, 2002. illus. with photographs. Gr. 4-8
Mamie Johnson recounts her experiences as a pitcher in the Negro League. (BCCB 6/02)
Hopkinson, Deborah. Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings; illus. by Terry Widener. Schwartz/Atheneum, 2003. 5-8 yrs
In 1907, Alta Weiss, Girl Wonder, convinced the manager of the semi-pro Independents to let join the all-male ream. (BCCB 2/03)
Isadora, Rachel. Nick Plays Baseball; written and illus. by Rachel Isadora. Putnam, 2001. 5-8 yrs
Definitions, rules, and tips round out the story of Nick's team as they practice for and play the big game. (BCCB 2/01)
Johnson, Angel. Just Like Josh Gibson; illus. by Beth Peck. Simon, 2004. 5-8 yrs
"Grandmama hit the ball a mile that day, caught anything that was thrown, and did everything else-just like Josh Gibson." (BCCB 3/04)
Lynch, Chris. Gold Dust. HarperCollins, 2000. Gr. 5-8
Until the summer of 1975, baseball had never failed Richard Riley Moncrief. (BCCB11/00)
Myers, Walter Dean. The Journal of Biddy Owens: The Negro Leagues. Scholastic, 2001. (My Name is America) Gr. 5-9
Biddy Owens' fictional diary gives a glimpse of the Negro Leagues as well as life for southern blacks during the late 1940s. (BCCB 7/00)
Patrick, Jean L. S. The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth; illus. by Jeni Reeves. Carolrhoda, 2000. Gr. 2-4
On April 1, 1931, Jackie Mitchell of the Chattanooga Lookouts took to the mound to pitch against Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. (BCCB 6/00)
Rallison, Janette. Playing the Field. Walker, 2002. Gr. 5-7
When a plummeting grade in algebra threatens McKay's place on the team, his enlistment of a tutor leads to more than improved math scores. (BCCB 7/02)
Ritter, John. Choosing Up Sides. Philomel, 1998. Gr. 5-9
In 1920s America, Luke Bledsoe struggles to find his place as a baseball-loving preacher's kid who pitches with his "heathen" left hand. (BCCB 6/98)
Testa, Maria. Becoming Joe DiMaggio; illus. by Scott Hunt. Candlewick, 2002. Gr. 6-9
Joe DiMaggio's success helps an Italian immigrant and his grandson weather prejudice, family shame, and the war. (BCCB 5/02)
Tocher, Timothy. Chief Sunrise, John McGraw, and Me. Cricket, 2004. Gr. 5-8
In post-World-War-I America, a pair of unlikely buddies road-trip their way to the major leagues. (BCCB Big Picture)

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