Swinging for the Fences

May 1, 2008
Gr 1-3-A Little Leaguer dreams of being a successful home-run hitter like Hank Aaron as he avidly follows Aaron's pursuit of Babe Ruth's record. Though his coach encourages him to just get on base, young Mark swings wildly and repeatedly lets his team down. After meeting Aaron at the ballpark following a game, Mark follows his hero's advice and learns to be a better team player. This well-intentioned picture-book tribute to Hank Aaron sports attractive acrylic spreads depicting games and indoor scenes and includes a credible amount of biographical detail. Overall, though, it is burdened by a didactic and all-too-familiar story line. Baseball fans will welcome any addition to the small number of books focused on Aaron, one of baseball's true heroes, but young readers seeking a full appreciation of his life and achievements would be better served by Peter Golenbock's "Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way" (Harcourt, 2001)."Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.