K-Gr 3-- The engaging bear and elephant team introduced in Frank and Ernest (Scholastic, 1988) have this time agreed to manage a baseball team for a single game in the owners' absence. The pair admit to knowing little about the game, but conscientiously do their homework and with the help of a Dictionary of Baseball, set about to learn the lingo. The pleasurable result as they prepare the field, sell tickets, attend batting practice, and finally announce the game to the fans at home is not only a behind-the-scenes look at an old-time ballgame , but a humorous vocabulary lesson for baseball novices and enthusiasts as well. Victory is sweet as the Mudcats finally move out of the cellar on their way to the top,'' and the dynamic duo go on to (we presume) their next adventure. Day continues her affectionate portrayal of 40s-style Americana begun in the pair's first adventure. Her expansive watercolors are full of action, interesting perspective, and clever detail. Her heroes are quite at home with their human counterparts, scooping up balls from the infield with a trunk or holding a cap over the heart with a furry paw during the National Anthem. Rewarding fare for anyone interested in America's favorite pastime, playing with words, or the adventures of an ingenuous couple of aptly named business types who enjoy a challenge. --Luann Toth,School Library Journal''