Willie and the All-Stars
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Willie, an African-American boy growing up in Chicago, dreams of playing baseball in the Major Leagues, like his idols. But it?s 1942, and Jackie Robinson is years away from breaking the color barrier. One day Willie sits with the old men in the neighborhood as they spin tall baseball tales. Willie knows the game like the back of his hand, but he?s never heard of Josh Gibson or Cool Papa Bell. ?That?s because they?re Negro Leaguers,? says Ol? Ezra. ?Being a Major Leaguer is about a lot more than how good a fella is. It?s also about the color of his skin. And yours is the wrong color.? Willie is crushed. Until, that is, Ezra hands him two tickets to an exhibition all-star game between Major Leaguers and Negro Leaguers, and Willie sees firsthand how determination can change everything.
A beautifully illustrated tribute to the power of a boy?s dreams, and the great gift that is hope.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In 1942 Chicago, young Willie dreams of being a baseball player, just like the Major League Baseball stars that play in nearby Wrigley Field. But baseball is still segregated and Willie, as a neighbor points out, "is the wrong color." Willie's hopes are rekindled at an exhibition game between the Negro League All-Star team and the Major League All-Stars, when he witnesses Satchel Paige's team win the grudging respect of their white opponents. Cooper's text often lands with the heavy thunk of an after-school special, and Willie's friendship with an Irish boy seems more well-meaning than authentic, given the historical realities of the book's setting. There's far more grace in the sepia-toned oil-wash paintings, which combine photorealistic portraiture with dramatic composition. Whether he's working in closeup or conveying a ballpark buzzing with fans, Cooper (Jump! From the Life of Michael Jordan) swings for the fences, and he almost always delivers. Ages 6 8.
