Description: After losing out on a spot on the local deaf team, William practiced even harder—eventually earning a position on a professional team. But his struggle was far from over. In addition to the prejudice Hoy faced, he could not hear the umpires' calls. One day he asked the umpire to use hand signals: strike, ball, out. That day he not only got on base but also changed the way the game was played forever. William “Dummy" Hoy became one of the greatest and most beloved players of his time!

Review: I never heard of William Hoy before picking this book up. What a remarkable story! Born in 1862, William Hoy could neither hear nor speak, but he loved and breathed baseball. Despite his disabilities, he was incredibly athletically gifted and became an outstanding major league baseball player during the late nineteenth century. It is said that he and along with other players are credited in creating a system of hand gestures as signs that are still used in baseball today. The illustrations remind of the old Popeye cartoons that are fun to look at and share the book's uplifting vibe and feel good message. This is a great story for baseball and sports fan to read. It would also work as a good read-aloud with younger readers.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Preschools to Grade 3 readers.

If you like this book try: Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team by Audrey Vernick


Description: Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has spent a lifetime disagreeing: disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere. This biographical picture book about the Notorious RBG, tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents, or disagreements.

Review: I Dissent is an informative picture book biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The book traces the Justice's achievements as an intelligent, ambitious young girl to her position on the Supreme Court with an emphasis on dissenting in the face of inequality that Gingsburg faced as a Jewish woman. While the book does talk briefly about Gingsburg's social life, the focus for the majority of the book is her law career. The text is easy to understand sentences intended for its audience. The whimsical illustrations make the subject approachable and the use of bold typography highlight words such as protest, object, and dissent make the text come alive.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

If you like this book try: Ruth Bader Gingsburg by Heather Moore Niver