Play Ball, Jackie! by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Joe Morse (Millbrook Press, 2011) tells the story of Jackie Robinson’s open day of baseball as told from the perspective of a young Italian-American boy and his father. I’m not a fan of baseball, but there was something touching about this story even for someone unfamiliar with baseball terminology, for when Jackie Robinson began playing baseball it was a monumental civil rights issue.
The young boy (and by extension, the young reader) tries to understand the unreasonable explanations behind the discrimination, all the while enjoying a fantastic baseball game. The story was well told, and I imagine that young fans of baseball would even more love the account, the story, and the hope it gives. The end matter gives facts about Jackie Robinson and his integration of baseball.Â
