by Barb Rosenstock; illus by Terry Widener
32 pages; ages 8 - 12
Calkins Creek, 2014
"It all started quietly, like a conversation with Joe DiMaggio himself," begins Barb Rosenstock. "One shy single, hit to left field, smack in the middle of May, the fifteenth."
The Yankees lost that game. It wasn't news- the headlines were overtaken by stories of the war spreading through Europe. Still, that one hit was the start of something big. Because Joe kept hitting, and hitting... and by the time he'd hit runs in 20 straight games people started talking about a streak.
Joe hit fastballs, knuckleballs, screwballs and curves. As long as he had his faithful bat, Betsy Ann, he hit anything pitchers could throw at him. He and Betsy Ann tied the record, hitting 41 straight games. Could anyone stop him? Then, as another game started, Joe reached for his bat. Betsy Ann was gone! Could Joe keep his hitting streak going without Betsy Ann?
Rosenstock keeps the tension going as she unfolds the story of America's baseball hero. She adds context and history with an author's note and provides a page of statistics, plus lots of resources for the baseball enthusiast. A perfect read for a mid-May day. Review copy provided by publisher.
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