Luke Goes to Bat by Rachel Isadora

Synopsis: Whenever the Dodgers play in Brooklyn, Luke goes up to his roof where he can see the lights of Ebbets Field and imagine each play in the game. Someday he wants to hit a homerun like his hero, Jackie Robinson. But the kids on Bedford Avenue won't let him play. "You're just a squirt," they tell him.
When he finally does get to play stickball with the others, he does so badly that he thinks they'll never let him play again. But then his grandma takes him to see Jackie in a real game, and Luke discovers that part of being a hero is never giving up, even when there are two strikes against you and the game seems out of reach.
Rachel Isadora offers up a touching salute to 1950s Brooklyn, baseball, and one of the most inspiring players ever to take the field.

First lines: It was Brooklyn. It was summer. It was baseball.

My thoughts: I liked this story of a 1950's boy desiring to play ball with his friends. It was a look into the past with a little history about the Brooklyn Dodgers and Jackie Robinson. With Jackie Robinson as one of the main characters, it was great for Black History month as well. The lesson taught here, never give up, was written and illustrated well. The kids in class enjoyed this book. You may need to explain the parts of the book where his imagination is working. These are set apart by being painted in shades of gray and white. The paintings for the rest of the story are colorful and realistic.

Quote:"Not everyone plays like Jackie Robinson all the time. Not even Jackie Robinson."

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile