The Greatest Game Ever Played

Starred review from July 24, 2006
Deftly blending surefire ingredients—nostalgia, father-son bonding and on-field action—Bildner's (Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy
) story tells of the 1958 championship NFL game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts, played at Yankee Stadium. But before kickoff, the author provides plenty of compelling pre-game background. After Sam's father loses his factory job, he finds new work with longer hours, and he and his son can no longer attend the games of their beloved New York Giants baseball team. Then comes the devastating news that the Giants are relocating to California. Sam, who sells newspapers at a local store, begins reading about the "other" New York Giants and follows their games on the radio, but Pop appears to have no interest in football. When Sam's boss must let him go, he hands the lad tickets to the championship game, and thus treats father and son to the sports event of a lifetime (despite the fact that the Giants end up losing in sudden-death overtime). Sam also discovers that his father knows far more about these Giants than he has let on. Bildner's informative afterword emphasizes the significance of this game in football history, especially its role in kicking the sport into the national spotlight. Pullen (The Toughest Cowboy
) nicely showcases the big names of the era (Unitas and Berry, Gifford and Huff, etc.). An intriguing balance of realism and caricature, his artwork scores a win, especially with its evocations of the ingenuous protagonist's profound emotions. Ages 5-up.

August 1, 2006
Gr 1-5 -This picture book recounts the exciting 1958 NFL championship game as viewed by a young fan and his father. It -s been a tough year. Their beloved New York Giants baseball team moved to San Francisco. Pop lost his job; though he -s found another, he -s working long hours, and Sam misses the time they used to spend together. Even Sam has lost his job selling newspapers, but, as a parting bonus, his boss gives him tickets to the big game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts. Pop declares that he -s not interested in football, but as they watch the action on the field, the two are drawn into the thrilling contest. Even as they root for the home team, they can -t help admiring the gritty courage of the rival quarterback, Johnny Unitas, who leads the Colts - come-from-behind victory. Pullen -s oil paintings capture the tumultuous action and the fans - enthusiastic response. The comically exaggerated facial expressions balance the story -s nostalgic mood. An author -s note adds facts and helps sort out the game -s significance. This is an engaging tale, well told, and a warm portrayal of the bond between sports-loving fathers and sons." -Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2006
The New York Giants are Sam and his father's favorite baseball team until they move west. Sam misses the team, but most of all he misses spending time with Pop, who has forsaken sports--despite Sam's breathless discovery of a football team with the same name. When Sam is given tickets to the 1958 NFL championship game, he and Pop go together, and Pop gets enthused despite the Giants' loss. Bildner's dynamic writing captures all the excitement of a game watched on TV by 40 million people and played by greats such as Johnny Unitas, Frank Gifford, and Pat Summerall. Moreover, the father-son relationship, often bound together by sports, is realistically portrayed. However, would true fans of the Giants consider the game the greatest ever played given the Colts' win? Pullen's pictures portray many of the fans and players as caricatures, but Sam's dad is so goofy looking, he's distracting. However, the energy of the paintings perfectly matches Bildner's lively text, which brings to light some great football history to share across generations.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)