A Ticket to the Pennant: A Tale of Baseball in Seattle

Sweet and wistful nostalgia for a bygone era.

PreS-Gr 2--In this picture book tale, a boy scurries around his 1950s Seattle neighborhood looking for his lost ticket to the day's championship game. Friendly neighbors and small business owners try to help until Huey discovers that he put it inside his baseball cap. The familiar lost ticket plot is an excuse for a nostalgic visit to this diverse neighborhood, with its mom-and-pop storefronts, Italian bakeries, and Japanese fishmongers. Like Huey, all are fans of their beloved minor league team, the Seattle Rainiers, predecessors to today's Major League Mariners. The 1955 Rainiers contended for the Pacific Coast League's pennant, led by talented players including Bobby Balcena, a fan favorite and the first player of Filipino descent to play in the major leagues (seven games with Cincinnati in 1956). As the ballpark action reaches its climax, announcer Leo Lassen's colorful play-by-play sets the mood: "Not a fingernail left in the stadium, folks." An author's note adds information on Balcena and the history of the Rainiers. Cartoon illustrations with lots of period detail further add to the book's nostalgic look. VERDICT A slight but still appealing story for baseball fans, especially in the Pacific Northwest; this may also interest teachers looking to enliven social studies and U.S. history units.--Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

An SCBWI Summer Reading Pick!

"Skewes' bright, retro-flavored cartoons complement the text, vividly capturing the time and place as well as Huey's changing emotions. Sweet and wistful nostalgia for a bygone era."
—Kirkus Reviews

"A 32 page celebration of a time when baseball was the only game in town."
—KING-5 TV Evening Magazine

"Tour the Seattle of 1955 with Huey as he and his neighborhood cheer for the Seattle Rainiers."
—Seattle PI

"People who know Seattle baseball or the Rainier Valley neighborhood will enjoy this trip down memory lane."
—Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children's Media

"This is a book for young sports fans...but also for readers of any age who crave a sense of history and community."
—NW Book Lovers

"[A] great book about a much-loved aspect of the history of our area."
—Gather Here

"[A] gorgeous new picture book...featuring beautiful retro-style illustrations from John Skewes"
—The Winged Pen

"Even if you are not a baseball fan, I promise you will also warm to Mark Holtzen's slice of Seattle history."
—Newbery Honor-Winning Author Kirby Larson

"A Ticket to the Pennant will engage every baseball fan from Seattle on the west coast to Baltimore on the east, and every place between."
—Kid Lit Reviews

"Shows how baseball unites diverse communities."
—Northwest Asian Weekly