The Catcher's Mask

Gr 2-4--While this brief book is easy to read, children will have to know a lot about baseball to understand and follow the game action, especially the lingo (e.g., "sacrifice bunt," "once around the horn," "next raps," "fanned," "snagged the throw"), which is not explained or easily discerned from context. The many characters (most with rather old-fashioned nicknames) may also lead to some confusion. Young Rudy blames all of his baseball woes on the team-owned catcher's mask so he buys a "new" mask and baseball book at a neighbor's yard sale. Information in the book and the "Y.B." on the mask lead him to believe that it once belonged to Hall-of-Famer Yogi Berra and that it will make him play like a pro, too. Although this fills the bill as an easy-reading sports-action book, the plot is only fair and the ending a little too pat. Buy it only if you have a demand for more about the Peach Street Mudders.--Kate Kohlbeck, Randall School, Waukesha, WI