Yogi: The Life, Loves, and Language of Baseball Legend Yogi Berra

Gr 2-5--Yogi Berra was a lot of things: a kid from an Italian neighborhood in St. Louis, a World War II vet, an amazing catcher for the New York Yankees, and a man who had a memorable way with words. Rosenstock and Widener use his "Yogi-isms" to highlight a number of difficulties he experienced in his life; in his early struggles as a catcher, Yogi could've said "It's not too far, it just seems like it is." Widener's acrylic illustrations steal the show. He cleverly outlines Yogi in white so that he always stands out to readers and he uses color to signal emotions--red for anger and cool blue for sadness. Rosenstock provides a great amount of back matter, including career stats for catching and hitting, career accomplishments, and a bibliography. The author also includes "A Note About Yogi-isms" to give some insight into how she chose which quotes to include in the book and how readers can find out if Yogi actually said them. In his own words: "I really didn't say everything I said." VERDICT A solid purchase where the Yankees and baseball history are popular, secondary purchase elsewhere.--Kerri Williams, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY