Brothers at Bat by Audrey Vernick

A trend I really enjoy in children's literature is using the picture-book format to tell the story of an interesting real-life event. Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team tells a story most people don't know. The Acerra family, from New Jersey, had 12 boys, spanning 25 years, (and four girls, too!) In the 1920s and 1930s, before TV and other electronics, baseball was how they spent their spare time. So it only made sense when enough of them were old enough, that they had their own team. That began in 1938. The oldest brother, Anthony, was 32 at the time; the youngest on the team was Freddie, age 13. But there were three more boys waiting to play as soon as they were old enough. They took a break from baseball during World War II, when six of the brothers went to war. All six of the brothers came home, and it wasn't long before the team was ready to play again. And they kept playing until 1952. The Acerra brothers are the longest-playing all-brother baseball team ever. They were honored at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
This is a neat story about baseball, families, and a time-period from almost 80 years ago. And it is just a fun, little-known story in the history of America's game.
For books that tell other little-known stories, pick up a copy of the bookmark "Picturing History" next time you're at the Library.

AR Level 4.4
AR Points .5

The Genius Files: Never Say Genius by Dan Gutman

This second book in the Genius Files series follows Coke and Pepsi McDonald from their ill-fated meeting with the evil Dr. Herman Warsaw at the House on the Rock in Wisconsin, to their destination, Washington D. C., for their Aunt Judy’s wedding. Of course, with their mother, author of the “Amazing But True” web magazine, planning the route, this leg of the journey includes stops at the first ever MacDonald’s restaurant, a Hoover museum (it’s not the one in Iowa),  the world’s largest collection of outhouses, as well as some more normal venues, like Wrigley Field for a Cubs game, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Center Point Amusement Park – famous for its variety of roller coasters.

What a great trip, right? Well, not if you’re looking over your shoulder everywhere you go, trying to figure out who’s trying to kill you and where they will turn up next. And those secret codes that turn up every few days – even inside the shell of a soft-boiled egg – are a little unsettling, too.

Of course, once Coke and Pep decide to clue mom and dad in on the Genius Files project, their parents just laugh and attribute all the stories to the twins’ vivid imaginations. No help from the grown-ups on this trip.

But you’ll be happy to know that they make it to Washington D. C. and to Aunt Judy’s wedding, which provides them with maybe the biggest surprise of their journey – and the jumping-off point for Book 3. They do have to travel back to California, you know.

 I love the Genius Files books because they are goofy, have an element of mystery, and contain some interesting bits of information that are true and amazing. I also like Dan Gutman’s style of writing, like he’s sitting right next to you telling you the story, talking directly to the reader. If you haven’t read the first book in this series (The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable) well, I think you should. In fact, it’s one of the books we selected to give away as a summer reading prize. If you have read it, are reading it, or selected it for your reading prize, I suggest you get your name on the hold list for the second book. It’s brand new and will be in big demand after people read the first book.

And, these are the perfect books for “staycations” because you can travel right along with the McDonald family and even track their travels using websites included. And you don’t have to spend hours on the road in a motor home!

AR Level 4.8
AR Points 7