Before 1947, Latino baseball players, like their African-American counterparts, found that acceptance into the Major Leagues was based on the tint of their skin rather than the talent they possessed. Many of these players were known and admired, and were able to display their impressive talents in exhibition games against star white players, but were not allowed to play on a Major League team. Winter (Fair Ball!, 1999, etc.) profiles 14 Latino ballplayers, 7 of whom never had their chance at the Majors. The author has selected an interesting, well-balanced variety of players and offers the information in an eye-catching, highly readable format. Each player is presented in a two-page spread that resembles the front and back of a baseball card. The text page is comprised of statistics and a brief biography of each personality and his career. The brightly colored acrylic illustration depicts the player in action and each “card” is placed on a bright blue or purple background and is framed in yellow. These cards introduce the reader to Dolf Luque, a light-skinned Cuban who played for several Major League teams from 1912 to 1932, and to others with darker skin like Tetelo Vargas and Martin Dihigo, who played their entire careers in the Negro Leagues and in leagues throughout Latin America. Perucho Cepeda and Luis Tiant Sr. were also barred, but lived to see their sons forge impressive Major League careers. Major League stars like Minnie Minoso, Roberto Clemente, and Juan Marichal appear here as well. An introduction by Bruce Markusen Rodríguez of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum sets the stage for what follows: an attempt to address a neglected facet of the development of baseball and its relation to American social history via fascinating anecdotes about both well-known and unknown baseball heroes. Sure to appeal to young baseball fans and their parents. (Biography. 8-12)
Pub Date: May 15, 2001
ISBN: 978-1-58430-234-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2001
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship.
A young tennis champion becomes the target of revenge.
In this sequel to Legacy and the Queen (2019), Legacy Petrin and her friends Javi and Pippa have returned to Legacy’s home province and the orphanage run by her father. With her friends’ help, she is in training to defend her championship when they discover that another player, operating under the protection of High Consul Silla, is presenting herself as Legacy. She is so convincing that the real Legacy is accused of being an imitation. False Legacy has become a hero to the masses, further strengthening Silla’s hold, and it becomes imperative to uncover and defeat her. If Legacy is to win again, she must play her imposter while disguised as someone else. Winning at tennis is not just about money and fame, but resisting Silla’s plans to send more young people into brutal mines with little hope of better lives. Legacy will have to overcome her fears and find the magic that allowed her to claim victory in the past. This story, with its elements of sports, fantasy, and social consciousness that highlight tensions between the powerful and those they prey upon, successfully continues the series conceived by late basketball superstar Bryant. As before, the tennis matches are depicted with pace and spirit. Legacy and Javi have brown skin; most other characters default to White.
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949520-19-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
A riddling, sporting adventure and a story of true friendship.
“Like three sides of the same triangle, none of us can imagine what life would be like if we weren’t together.”
Sarah, West, and Hannah have been an intrepid trio since they first met. They bring their passion for math and numbers and their perfectly aligned strengths to solving escape rooms. With a foreclosure looming on Sarah’s family home—which would mean moving to live with her grandparents in Michigan—the only solution is to seek out the rumored Triplet Treasure belonging to Hans, Stefan, and Karl Stein. The treasure is supposedly hidden in a long-abandoned fun house they built in the 1950s. To outmaneuver the triplets’ ingenious riddles and tricks, the friends will need to overcome personal obstacles and unlock the doors within themselves. While the stakes are high, it’s reassuring for readers to know that Sarah’s family has a place to go, even if it’s far away from her friends. Early chapters detail the health challenges faced by Sarah’s father; his chronic illness has placed a strain on the family’s finances. Currie sets up a moving metaphor: Sarah’s enthusiasm for escape rooms becomes a means of tackling the unsolvable puzzle that has left her parent confined to his own inescapable room. This topic is treated with a gentle touch, but Sarah’s emotional depths could have been explored more deeply; West’s and Hannah’s emotional arcs are fulfilling, however. Main characters read white.
A riddling, sporting adventure and a story of true friendship. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781728259536
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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