Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Though the themes of baseball and classical music initially may seem a jarring juxtaposition, here the duet makes for lovely harmony. Lewis's (Fire on the Mountain) realistic, emotion-charged watercolor paintings evoke a pivotal period in baseball history. It is 1948 and, as Jackie Robinson did the prior year, many top African American ball players in the Negro Leagues are defecting to join """"white teams."""" Curtis's (Grandma's Baseball) plot centers on Reginald, a young violin player whose father manages the Negro National League's worst team, which has lost its best players. Hoping to tear him away from his beloved instrument, Papa drafts Reginald as the Dukes' bat boy, but soon discovers that his son is as clumsy with the bats as he is graceful with his bow. Yet when the boy plays his violin in the dugout, his music inspires the batters, and the Dukes miraculously make it to the playoffs. As Curtis shapes a heartwarming relationship between father and son, his portrayal doesn't neglect the era's bitter facts: though previously all-white leagues were accepting African American ball players, many other whites were not. The Dukes may not go home with the pennant, but this imposing book will score high marks with youngsters, whether their tastes run to sports or to Mozart. Ages 4-10. (Apr.)

Horn Book

Though his father doesn't understand Reginald's passion for music, Reginald agrees to serve as batboy for the Negro League team his father manages--if he can practice his violin between innings. Baseball and music bring father and son together in this warm, slightly sentimental story set in 1948 and accompanied by expressive watercolors.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4--This picture book offers readers many things: an interesting look at life in the Negro National Baseball League of the 1940s, a wonderfully delineated father-son relationship, and a gentle advocacy of the sometimes intangible value of culture. Reginald is serious about playing his violin but his father, who coaches "the worst team in the Negro National League," the Dukes, believes his son would use his time more wisely by serving as bat boy for the team. After a couple of humorous disasters, the child becomes an unusual bat boy who plays his violin in the dugout to urge the players on, while his father takes care of the equipment. Ultimately, the Dukes' success and appreciation for Reginald's talents make his father alter his view of violin playing and find pride in his son's achievements. Lewis's soft watercolor illustrations portray the characters with depth and beauty, resulting in a very special book.--Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA

ALA Booklist

It's 1948, and most of the best players in the Negro Leagues are following Jackie Robinson to the white teams. Reginald's papa is the manager of the Dukes, the worst team in the Negro National League. Papa thinks Reginald spends too much time inside practicing his violin and enlists him to be batboy for the Dukes. Reginald isn't much of a batboy, but he plays Mozart and Beethoven in the dugout, and the team starts to win. Reginald's music can't quite carry them to final victory, but he wins his father over and has his longed-for recital in the living room. This appealing role-reversal story imparts a fair amount of information about the legendary black baseball teams: the rickety buses, the avid fans, the sleeping in fields when no hotel would take them. Lewis' fully realized watercolors have a depth and richness not always evident in that medium. The pale green ball fields, Reginald's comfortably appointed home, and the traveling Dukes in their jackets, ties, and fedoras are beautifully rendered. Baseball lore, great illustrations, and a quiet message about bridging the gap between what a parent wants and what a child needs make this a winner