ALA Booklist (Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2007)

With Michael Jordan's name accompanying the coauthors' names (his mother and sister) on the cover (and an introduction by him inside), this book is bound to be popular. The story, about two boys e white and one black-- o hope their baseball team will make the play-offs, provides the backdrop for Michael's 10 rules of good sportsmanship, which include "Be a team player" and "Learn from your mistakes." The story is plausible, even though the message is as obvious as the stitching on a baseball. What really scores is the artwork. Nelson uses perspective very effectively metimes to bring the action or characters right up to the reader; sometimes to extend a scene off the page. The many close-ups and rich, vibrant colors make this ideal for reading to a group of baseball fans. The only thing missing is companion rules for parents.

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2007)

Joey is a fine farm horse sold for cavalry use in World War I. Through Joey's Black Beauty-esque narration, readers learn of the futility of cavalry against machine guns; the loss of Joey's companion, Topthorn; and Joey's reunion with the farm boy who loves him. At times deeply affecting, the story balances the horror with moments of respite and care.

Kirkus Reviews

Michael Jordan's mother and sister return with another story about his childhood, this one more didactic than Salt in His Shoes (2003). This one is a baseball story, wherein young Jonathan is upset after losing a game. His friend Michael and Michael's Uncle Jack see this as an opportunity to teach Jonathan the ten golden rules of baseball, starting with "Know the game" and "Be a team player" and ending with "Practice, practice, practice" and "Have fun!" Jonathan follows the rules and plays hard, though his Badgers lose anyway, and he and Michael assure themselves that they feel good "because we all played together and gave our all." Though purported to be a family story, it is only a vehicle for the moral, and has no energy of its own; even Nelson's usual dramatic images cannot breathe any life into it. Someone, somewhere, needs to think about some golden rules of writing for children. (Picture book. 5-8)

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

This follow-up to <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Salt in His Shoes, which dabbles in the subject's less successful flirtation with baseball, may disappoint fans of the earlier book. The tale opens as young Michael's best friend, Jonathan, strikes out at the end of a game their Little League team loses. Walking home with the lads, Michael's uncle utters the well-worn platitude that there's "a lot more to a game than winning or losing.... It's all about how you play the game." Uncle Jack, a former baseball player, then shares with the boys his book of 10 "golden rules" (e.g., "Pay attention to the coach at <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">all times," "Be a team player" and "Have fun!"). These come into obvious play during the big end-of-season game, which the boys' team predictably loses. When the coach assures them that they "played like winners," Jonathan gushes that, despite the loss, he feels good because "we all played together and gave our all." Michael then coos back, "Now, that's what I call a home run." Nelson's (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Henry's Freedom Box) oil paintings are oddly uneven here; the artwork ably conveys the boys' emotions yet overall the portraits are marred by inconsistent likenesses of each. Ages 6-10. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Jan.)

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-Written and illustrated by the team responsible for Salt in His Shoes (S & S, 2000), this oversize title looks promising but never reaches its potential. Jonathan and Michael are best friends and baseball teammates. Jonathan is a weak link on their team-he is constantly striking out and making mistakes. However, once introduced to the "ten golden rules of baseball" that Michael's uncle made up when he played college ball, he practices more and improves his performance in the big game against a rival team. Readers will have difficulty believing in Jonathan's speedy transformation from "strike out king" to a better player who accepts the team's loss with maturity. The dialogue is a bit wooden and is filled with cliches. Furthermore, the "ten golden rules" seem to fit an adult agenda and wouldn't mean much to most youngsters without significant explanation. Nelson's illustrations are stunningly realistic and powerful. Readers view characters from multiple vantage points, some so close that one feels part of the action. The story does feature an appealing multicultural cast, and it might have some appeal to children who play team sports.-Barbara Katz, Parish Episcopal School, Dallas, TX Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.