Hotshots: Baseball

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-- Brief biographical sketches of 20 professional baseball stars, both past and present, make up the bulk of this high-gloss book. The fact that Sloate concentrates on the childhoods rather than the athletic careers of her subjects separates this title from others in this genre. Since the men's lives are summarized in approximately four pages, only interesting sidelights and anecdotes are presented. The players are categorized into Early Stars, Superstars from the Glory Days, Black Pioneers, Brothers, '60s & '70s, '80s & '90s. The inclusion of Bo Jackson and Jim Abbott over scores of more accomplished players of this era seems to be an attempt to cash in on current name recognition. Both black-and-white and full-color photographs are liberally placed throughout the text. Highlights of each ballplayer's career are printed in blue ink and framed at the end of each entry. The writing style is fluid, and readers will be able to see similarities in some of the subjects' childhood antics and their playing careers. Sports fans will enjoy the combination of information and eye-catching appeal this book provides, and may be inspired to ask for more substantial biographies on specific players.-- Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Pub . Lib . , WI