The Hero Two Doors Down

October 19, 2015
Robinson takes a fictional approach to the subject of her famous father, Jackie Robinson. It unfolds in the voice of Steve Satlow, who was eight when the Robinsons moved onto his predominately Jewish street in Brooklyn in 1948 (Steve and his family also featured prominently in Robinson’s 2010 picture book, Jackie’s Gift). The story is relayed in flashback, triggered by 20-year-old Steve’s discovery of a ticket stub from the ’48 Brooklyn Dodgers’ home opener in a box of “boyhood treasures” that his recently deceased father left him. Steve’s impatience to meet his baseball idol and new neighbor (which finally takes place more than a third of the way in) grows repetitive, but the story’s energy builds once Robinson is in the picture. Segues into political and humanitarian issues can get heavy-handed (“Prejudice,” Steve’s father explains, “is when you judge a person based on the color of their skin and not by their character”), but play-by-play baseball action will hold fans’ attention, and Steve’s struggle to curb his impulsiveness and fit in with his peers will register with many. Ages 8–12.

November 1, 2015
Brooklyn Dodgers fan Steve's life is changed when Jackie Robinson and his family move into his Jewish neighborhood in 1948. This is a true story--parts of it, anyway. The author is Robinson's daughter, and the main character was her family's neighbor in real life. Stephen Satlow was a baseball fan, and he lived two doors down from his hero. The author has changed some details (one character is a composite), but readers may find themselves hoping every word is accurate. The Jackie Robinson in the book seems just as kind and thoughtful as the real Jackie sounded in interviews and news stories. When 8-year-old narrator Steve is having a rough time at school, Jackie walks over to the school softball game and teaches the whole team about stealing bases. There isn't much conflict here. The story is just as down-to-earth and remarkable as the actual baseball star, and it would feel mean-spirited to wish any more drama on these two genuinely endearing people. Absent drama to drive the plot, the book's main fault is that it doesn't make enough of the magical everyday moments. A scene of Jackie and Steve playing stoopball could have lasted pages longer. Jackie's son, Jackie Junior, is hardly a character here, another missed opportunity. The book doesn't dwell long enough on the smallest moments, but each of them feels like meeting the baseball legend--and maybe, sometimes, even better than the real thing. (historical note, photos) (Historical fiction. 8-12)

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January 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-This stirring tale of interracial and intergenerational friendship is based on a true story. Steven Satlow was seven years old in 1948 when Jackie Robinson and his family moved into the predominately Jewish section of Flatbush in Brooklyn, NY. Steve idolized Jackie and couldn't believe that his hero lived just two houses away. Ever gracious, Jackie welcomed the young fan into his home and family. Steven learned many lessons about tolerance, conflict resolution, and self-esteem from the quiet man who broke the color barrier in professional baseball. Occasionally moralizing, with dialogue that is at times stilted, the lessons are unmistakably teaching moments. After Steve gets into a fight, Jackie counsels him, "Punching someone who has verbally attacked you will only make things worse.... If you can, take the high road next time." The author also occasionally slips modern slang ("awesome," "game on") into their conversations, which seems slightly out of place. These minor issues, however, do not detract from a wonderful friendship story that has valuable lessons for all readers. The author is Jackie Robinson's daughter, and she and the Robinson family have remained lifelong friends with the Satlows, a true example of how friendships can cross racial divides. VERDICT This should be a home run for baseball fans and anyone who loves an inspirational friendship story.-Lisa Crandall, formerly at the Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI

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