Baseball History for Kids: approachable and fun for 9 and up

There is just something about baseball and kids. Baseball History for Kids: America at Bat from 1900 to today by Richard Panchk is aimed at that sweet spot of children being passionate about something, able to read and wanting to learn.  This book is a love letter to the game of baseball, its history, the players and the fans. It also doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to addressing the dark periods in the game and history, like segregation, work strikes or other things.

I don’t know too much about baseball. Granted I know the basics, but I have no idea how to calculate an ERA (earned run average p. 8), why the Cubs have the reputation that they did or how the game evolved.

Baseball History for Kids is for the young fan. It treats them with respect, but acknowledges their curiosity for deeper knowledge about the game. Readers don’t need to know anything about the game or its history to learn something-and enjoy it in the process while reading the book.

It starts out with a timeline of the game from the time that the first baseball club was founded in 1845 to 2014 when the use of instant replay was expanded. In-between that time you’ve got the strike in 1981, Black Sox scandal in 1919, the integration of the game in 1947 with Jackie Robinson, years when teams changed cities and lots of other facts that make you sound informed.

The book is broken down from the basics in chapter 1 with Play Ball!, WWII through chapter 6, The Money Era, 1970-today. Young readers will enjoy the book and really be able to learn from it as they dig through each chapter. Each time period has its chapter broken up into smaller multi-paragraph stories that really drive home the details.

These include quotes from the players who were integral to that part of the story. For example in chapter 1 there is a segment on injuries. It only consists of 8 paragraphs, but has many stories about the seemingly smaller injuries that can cause big problems for players. Cubs pitcher Red Adams was in the dugout in 1946, had just walked off of the field and was hit in the head with ball. That fractured his skull and almost killed him.

All of the chapters have stories like that. From the perspective of a young reader, the fact that the book is presented in a narrative, quoted, researched and activity manner will make it fun for them to read. The book also has 19 activities that will let kids establish ERA, RBI, practice bunting, observe players like you’re a talent scout and more.

The book is presented in a landscape format that really lends itself well to the larger photos of baseball fields and archival footage from when the game first started. It’s a valentine to the fans and the game; and the work that went into organizing the photos from each period through today’s time is evident.

Baseball History for Kids is as perfect a book on the game, in a manner that will appeal to those 9 and up as you can get. From the archival photos to the detailed stories and interviews there is something in here for every young reader that is curious about the game.