Book Summary
Being a
baseball team requires 12 players on the field and the spirit to always stay a
team through times, good and bad. This is the story of the Acerra family, and
the 15 brothers who play together on a semipro team in 1938. Their story is
more than just baseball, but family and being there on and off the field.
Reference
Vernick, A. (2012). Brothers
at bat: The true story of an amazing all-brother baseball team. New York,
NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Impressions:
I
had no idea that the story of 12 brothers playing baseball together on one team
was a true story. The book is really fun and teaches readers a lot about
loyalty and family. The book also includes the journey this family takes as WW2
begins and ends (geography). Great illustrations with plenty to examine for
historical purposes. The vintage style art is really cool.
The
book has a little hyperbole with the extent of how well the boys could play
baseball, but overall the book should give readers some historical context to
the size of families, the context of war, and the role of women (sisters) at
the time. The story is mainly about family.
Professional Review:
K-Gr 3--Here's a fun and true story to start out the baseball season. Vernick relates the history of the Acerra family's 16 children, consisting of 12 boys who formed their own semiprofessional baseball team in Long Branch, NJ, during the 1930s. Their dad was their coach and biggest fan. The team is honored in the Baseball Hall of Fame for being the all-time longest-playing all-brother team in baseball history. The author exhibits good humor by pointing out individual boys' distinguishing characteristics such as Charlie, the slow runner who "hit a ball nearly out of the park, but only made it to second." There is a retro feel to Salerno's illustrations done in black crayon, gouache, watercolor, and pastel, with digital color added. Shades of green, blue, and turquoise augment the outdoor scenes. Readers will laugh out loud as they spot one brother out the bedroom window at night running with toilet paper in hand to their three-seater outhouse. This story sends out positive vibes of a family who sticks together, yet couples the tale with sorrowful times as well. A delight not to miss.
Christolon,
B. (2012). Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball
Team. School Library Journal, 58(4), 153.
Library Uses:
Brothers At
Bat could be used by librarians interested in reaching students who love
sports, but aren’t necessarily interested in history. The sport of baseball is
considered America’s past time and could serve as a resource for students
interested in the sport. The book is full of baseball phrases and would also be
a great book to introduce baseball terminology to students.
