First in the Field

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

For many kids, the issue of segregation and the fact that African-Americans were not part of professional sports until fairly recently will come as a real surprise. This story of a great athlete and the man who broke the color barrier in baseball is fascinating. Robinson was a determined man and a gifted athlete. In his two years at UCLA, Jackie became the universities first "four-letter" man and left there as a sports legend. Unfortunately because of his color, doors to professional sports were not open. It wasn't until a few years later in 1945 that he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. It was not easy, Jackie faced verbal and physical abuse from other teams and the fans. But he did not cave in and eventually, Jackie Robinson became a superstar and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. His story of perseverance, fighting prejudice and striving for excellence is one that will inspire all.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5A short, readable, and attractive photobiography of the legendary player who broke baseball's color barrier. The book focuses on Robinson's childhood and early adulthood, with less emphasis than some longer biographies on his career as an athlete and his involvement with civil rights causes after his playing days were over. The narrative is written in a clear, matter-of-fact style. The archival black-and-white photographs are well chosen and of excellent quality. (Minor design quibbles: on the pages that begin each chapter, the text is overlaid on a photograph, making it difficult to read. Also, on some pages it is difficult to follow the flow of the text.) A time line of African-American milestones in sports history is appended. Although most libraries probably have several books on Robinson, this one has the advantage of being eye-catching and succinct.Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL