The Greatest Story Never Told: The Babe and Jackie - Hardcover

Negron, Ray

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0061471615 ISBN 13: 9780061471612

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2008

Synopsis

Skippy and Connor don't like each other. In fact, each of them wants a new roommate because the other is too "different." Stuck in the hospital with serious illnesses, the boys get a surprise visit from Ray, a Yankee batboy who whisks them away on a magical journey back in time to meet the legendary Babe Ruth. The adventure doesn't stop there, as the Bambino takes them to see baseball hero Jackie Robinson play at Ebbets Field. Along the way, the Babe and Jackie share some unforgettable lessons with their young friends about baseball, friendship, and accepting others' differences.

Ray Negron and Laura Seeley, the New York Times bestselling team from the boy of steel, have hit another home run with The Greatest Story Never Told: The Babe and Jackie, a touching story inspired by real events related to Ray by Babe Ruth's granddaughter.

About this title

About the Authors

Ray Negron is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Boy of Steel: A Baseball Dream Come True, as well as two other children's picture books. He was a Yankees batboy, played minor league ball, and worked for the Cleveland Indians. He currently works with the Yankees as a special advisor on community relations for Hank Steinbrenner and Randy Levine. In addition, he is the producer of the animated film Henry & Me. He lives in Florida with his four children.

Laura Seeley is the author and illustrator of the award-winning books The Book of Shadowboxes and The Magical Moonballs, and the illustrator for Ray Negron's trilogy, including The Boy of Steel. She owns Best Friends Art Gallery in Dana Point, California.

From the Back Cover

Skippy and Connor don't like each other. In fact, each of them wants a new roommate because the other is too "different." Stuck in the hospital with serious illnesses, the boys get a surprise visit from Ray, a Yankee batboy who whisks them away on a magical journey back in time to meet the legendary Babe Ruth. The adventure doesn't stop there, as the Bambino takes them to see baseball hero Jackie Robinson play at Ebbets Field. Along the way, the Babe and Jackie share some unforgettable lessons with their young friends about baseball, friendship, and accepting others' differences.

Ray Negron and Laura Seeley, the New York Times bestselling team from the boy of steel, have hit another home run with The Greatest Story Never Told: The Babe and Jackie, a touching story inspired by real events related to Ray by Babe Ruth's granddaughter.

Reviews

Grade 2–3—This slight story makes some heavy-handed points about overcoming racism and adversity. It begins with two young patients of different races who have been forced to share a hospital room. Skippy has cancer and Connor has diabetes, and they both want another roommate. They are awakened from naps by Batboy Ray, who whisks them back in time to meet Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson. The athletes spout truisms about getting along with others, being a team player, and never giving up. The boys also encounter a teenaged Roberto Clemente; Negron's real-life mentor, George Steinbrenner; and Yankees pitcher Chien-Ming Wang. Soon the boys are the best of friends. This unoriginal tale clumsily uses two of baseball's greatest heroes to hammer home its obvious points; the weak story sinks under the weight of its overbearing message.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
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Negron, a former Yankee batboy and current consultant to George Steinbrenner, offers a fable about getting along. Skippy and Connor have illness in common, but they don’t want to be hospital roommates because they are different races. Then a mystical figure, Ray the batboy, appears and takes them on a journey to meet baseball greats (and apparent friends) Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson. This purposeful tale, told in staid prose, is matched by Seeley’s somewhat stiff art. The premise itself is engaging, as Babe shows his affection and support for barrier-breaking Robinson, but with no source information, readers won’t know if this relationship is based on fact. The only note details Negron’s own experience with prejudice and the advice to accept others and treat them with dignity. A final page given to “A Psychological Overview” by a team doctor might have been better used to separate fact from fiction. Negron’s The Boy of Steel was a New York Times best-seller, so there may be demand. Grades K-3. --Ilene Cooper

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0061471615
• ISBN 13: 9780061471612
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Seeley Laura
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40