Your kid is sports obsessed. The only way to get him to read a book is to put a sports book in his hands. You have gone through all Mike Lupica has to offer but even those are nearing their end, what is a parent to do?
Perhaps your child is just getting into chapter books and you want ones that capture his love of sports to get him excited about reading. You have heard time and time again that children are drawn to books based on subjects that interest them and not necessarily books that are simply interesting. You have scoured the library shelves for books by Matt Christopher, but you need something else!
Well baseball parents, fear no longer! Today I have a selection that will take their love of the game and translate that into a great story. A love of baseball and a love of reading do not have to cancel each other out. Rejoice and have a hot dog!
To see all my baseball book recommendations this week, visit my website at www.onegreatbook.com
Title: Two Hot Dogs with Everything
Author: Paul Haven
Target: Grades 3-6
Series: No
What this book is about:
Danny Gurkin is the biggest Sluggers fan....ever! That is quite an accomplishment when the Sluggers are the worst team in baseball, and have been the worst team for over 100 years. Danny truly believes that he can control the outcome of the games. This involves eating two hots with everything before every game (extra goop when the rookie Canova is pitching,) all windows closed when the count is full, caps backwards when there is a chance of a double play, standing on one foot, holding your breath and crossing your fingers to get a rally going...you get the idea. However a chance encounter with the caretaker at the home of the first Sluggers owner leads Danny to find the ultimate good luck charm. Will it be good enough to take the Sluggers to the World Series?
Why I love this book:
First, if you love baseball, this book will strike a chord. The games had me on the edge of my seat, the history of the team gave this story substance and Danny’s superstitions are right in line with any baseball fan. My son has actually stopped watching games because he thought he was bringing bad luck to the team.
Also, both my sons loved this book! Neither one of them could put it down and both of them wanted to talk to me about the story afterwards. It really is suspenseful for a baseball book, and it has just enough details that the baseball feels very authentic without being too technical.
Who this book is for:
Any kid who has crossed his fingers, left the room or followed a superstition to help his team win a game.
Final thoughts:
Sometimes believing in yourself is the first step to success!
