Change-Up: Baseball Poems

Baseball season! For a kid who loves the sport, everything about it is important. Pitching, batting, sliding, winning, losing, Grandpa's knuckleballs, superstitious teammates, cheering spectators—even the infield dust . . . each has a place in the player's life. And all are captured here in Fehler's perceptive, exuberant poetry and Donald Wu's lively illustrations. Readers who play baseball will recognize a kindred spirit in the young narrator whose voice is heard in this book and will share his pleasure in every aspect of the game. Sports fans may even discover that they're poetry fans, too.

Baseball season! For a kid who loves the sport, everything about it is important. Pitching, batting, sliding, winning, losing, Grandpa's knuckleballs, superstitious teammates, cheering spectators--even the infield dust . . . each has a place in the player's life. And all are captured here in Fehler's perceptive, exuberant poetry and Donald Wu's lively illustrations. Readers who play baseball will recognize a kindred spirit in the young narrator whose voice is heard in this book and will share his pleasure in every aspect of the game. Sports fans may even discover that they're poetry fans, too.

Children's Literature

Starting in winter these poems talk of a baseball fan's love of the game; playing "snow" baseball; a fielder's mitt waiting for the first muddy game of spring; playing catch with Gramps to learn his knuckleball and fastball and slow curve; noticing that the only sound a window makes in a backyard baseball game is CRASH!; to outfielders the baseball field is immense, but to the batter the baseball field is tiny; writing a HOME RUN poem with one's bat; balls getting dropped in real games, but not in winter's baseball dreams; dreaming a nightmare of clown opponents and trampoline hands; having parents share your baseball love; feeling the music of pitching and of hitting the ball; experiencing the breathlessness of waiting to see if a bunt will roll foul; grinning after throwing the perfect change-up; and expressing admiration for Ted, the bench warmer, who is just happy to be on the team. Other poems talk of magical baseball moments and each brings you vividly to the scene. A wonderfully written collection of poems about a wonderful sport that all baseball fans will enjoy. And what a nice way to encourage children to read poetry. The illustrations are cute. Reviewer: Sarah Maury Swan

Gene Fehler is a widely-published and anthologized poet whose work has appeared in children's books, poetry collections, and college textbooks. He is also the author of five books, including two adult nonfiction titles about baseball's golden age. He lives in Seneca, South Carolina.