Lou Gehrig

Children's Literature - Mary Bowman-Kruhm

This biography is a winner for the "Baseball Superstars" series. It begins with Gehrig's little known starring role in a high school baseball game and concludes with an emotional photo of Babe Ruth standing at the coffin of his Yankee teammate, dead at age 37 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, now better known as Lou Gehrig's disease. This well-researched book is lively and entertaining. The relationship between showman Ruth and introvert Gehrig feels real and right, and the book's language sounds conversational: "Maybe it was overconfidence. Maybe it was arrogance. Or, maybe it was just an aging workforce. But the 1924 Yankees did not perform as they had the year before" (p. 38). Extensive captions provide context for understanding the black—and-white photographs. Sidebars with additional information (e.g., a description of Yankee Stadium) are enclosed in baseball-themed frames. Captions, sidebars, and beginning pages of each chapter have muted colors that, coupled with white space and a readable font, combine to make a visually attractive book. Backmatter includes a thorough bibliography, personal career statistics, chronology and timeline, glossary, additional resources for young readers, and index. This book is highly recommended. Reviewer: Mary Bowman-Kruhm, Ph.D.