Who's on First?: Books About Baseball to Excite Young Readers (continued)

Backyard Baseball 2005 for PC and Playstation 2
Ages: 7 - 12 yrs.
Atari, Inc. - MA, $19.99 (Windows 98/ME/2000/XP, Playstation2)

Like baseball returns each spring, so does the newest version of this kid-friendly fun-and-strategy baseball game. Will yet another upgrade of its engaging arcade-like mix of playground and professional baseball action be worth it? The prospect report: This one is a hit. There's all the fun power-ups such as the fireball pitch and the lightening bat that were there before. And the neighborhood kids are back waiting to be you drafted onto your ball club--a strategic decision based on their abilities, skills (players are rated from one to 10 in power, contact, pitching, running, and defense) or just unusual personalities.Is it worth buying if your young ballplayers already have a previous version? Ask yourself, how much do they love baseball?

Play Ball Like the Pro's
Ages: 8 - 12 yrs.
Author: Steven Krasner
Peachtree Publishers, LTD, $12.95

This is a great instructional book filled with useful and insightful tips aimed at kids working at honing their baseball skills--all in the words of 20 of the game's top major-league ballplayers. Separate chapters cover basics such as catching, pitching, each infield position, playing the outfield, hitting, and base running.

Baseball for Everyone: Stories from the Great Game
Ages: 8 - 12 yrs.
Author: Janet Wyman Coleman & Elizabeth V. Warren
Harry N. Abrams, Inc., $16.95

This colorful tour of baseball's history, illustrated with folk art and collectibles, shows why the sport is called "America's Pastime". From pick-up games played by children, Civil War soldiers, firemen, and college students, to the formation of the first professional leagues, this is a democratic look at the sport illustrated with early baseball cards, paintings, quilts, signs, carved bats, and more. Book Description

Jackie and Me
Ages: 8 - 12 yrs.
Author: Dan Gutman
Avon, $5.99 (Paperback)

Joe can travel through time via baseball cards. Inspired by a classroom report, he travels back to 1947 to meet Jackie Robinson, who was the first African-American to play major league baseball. A sometimes funny, yet serious and totally involving take on history.

Circa Classics Baseball
Ages: 8 & Up
Front Porch Classics, $49.99

Circa Classics Baseball is a finely crafted, old-wood styled throwback of an actual baseball game. Like its big brother, the award-winning "Old Century Baseball" game which is about twice the size and cost of this smaller version, this table-top ballpark brings a pre-electric pinball style of play to America's pastime.

Harry's Grand Slam Baseball
Ages: 8 & Up
Out of the Box Publishing, Inc Price: $14.99

Imagine being able to play a complete baseball game on your kitchen table. A reproduction of Harry Obst's original card game from 1962, the game includes 54 illustrated play cards, a baseball “diamond”, an outfield scoreboard, both updated and original rules, a card reference sheet, and a history of Harry's Grand Slam Baseball Game, all conveniently housed in a sturdy tin.