Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Baseball is more than a sport; in Borden's unabashed celebration, it embodies the essence of the social, historic and emotional fabric of our nation. Baseball has played a part in wars, social upheaval, urban and suburban development, immigration demographics, business conglomerates and investment swindles. It is also myth and mystery and the stuff of the American dream. People who love the game feel it in every sense, and to them, the minutiae are as elemental as the heroes, the great plays and the spectacle. Borden attempts to capture all of it in a lovely evocation of everything that is conjured up when a devoted fan hears the words "baseball is...." She employs deceptively simple language and the briefest of phrases filled with instant imagery that mingles past and present, spectators and players. Readers see, hear, smell and taste every aspect of the game. Nothing is forgotten or minimalized. The ballparks, the souvenirs and the hot dogs are all here from the major leagues to Little League. Colón's exuberant colored-pencil illustrations are lovingly matched to the text and bring it to glorious life. The game is seen from every perspective on double-page spreads that incorporate vignettes in frames of every shape as well as a gatefold with the likes of Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente. Love of our national game shines in every word and picture. A grand slam. (Picture book. 7-10)

ALA Booklist

America's national pastime gets a treatment that is both lively and knowledgeable in this oversize, fact-filled volume. The ellipses after the title lead the way for Borden to tell readers that baseball is "our game." A game of a perfect diamond, its equipment, stadiums, fans, and players. Each page has a few lines of text that explain the details and rules of the game while also introducing interesting history, such as the way FDR pressed a telegraph key to send a signal and light the first night game. The book is bit too long, and a few things are shortchanged, such as the Negro Leagues and women's leagues. Still, there's so much to enjoy here that fans can page through it over and over. This is due in no small part to Colón's signature colored-pencil artwork, which impressively captures baseball moments big and small. A neat vehicle for getting an intergenerational conversation going over a shared passion.

Horn Book

This poetic celebration of America's game, honoring everything from the diamond and ballparks to players' and spectators' emotions, has a freewheeling, sometimes disorganized feel. Colsn's scratchlike colored-pencil art highlights the expansive grass, chalk lines, and base paths and the drama of a fastball and a double play. A foldout near the end with nods to specific players feels tacked on.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Baseball is more than a sport; in Borden's unabashed celebration, it embodies the essence of the social, historic and emotional fabric of our nation. Baseball has played a part in wars, social upheaval, urban and suburban development, immigration demographics, business conglomerates and investment swindles. It is also myth and mystery and the stuff of the American dream. People who love the game feel it in every sense, and to them, the minutiae are as elemental as the heroes, the great plays and the spectacle. Borden attempts to capture all of it in a lovely evocation of everything that is conjured up when a devoted fan hears the words "baseball is...." She employs deceptively simple language and the briefest of phrases filled with instant imagery that mingles past and present, spectators and players. Readers see, hear, smell and taste every aspect of the game. Nothing is forgotten or minimalized. The ballparks, the souvenirs and the hot dogs are all here from the major leagues to Little League. Colón's exuberant colored-pencil illustrations are lovingly matched to the text and bring it to glorious life. The game is seen from every perspective on double-page spreads that incorporate vignettes in frames of every shape as well as a gatefold with the likes of Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente. Love of our national game shines in every word and picture. A grand slam. (Picture book. 7-10)

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

More than a decade after America Is..., Borden returns with a rosy tribute to the national pastime, this time accompanied by Colón, whose pencil illustrations virtually glow with sunset golds and the lime greens of the outfield. Most of Borden-s verse is dedicated to capturing the sounds, smells, and emotions of the game itself (-Baseball is the scamper of the bat boy/ and the distant shout in the stands:/ -Peanuts!-/ -Popcorn!- -). But the game-s history is also felt, both in inset images that, for instance, show the technology used by announcers past and present, and in detours that honor presidential connections to the game, a trio of players (Ruth, Robinson, and Clemente), and -the minor leagues/ and Little League,/ the talented and long ago Negro Leagues,/ the women-s league.- It-s a warm and passionate ode to the game, whether it-s being played in stadiums or backyards. Ages 7-10. Illustrator-s agent: Morgan Gaynin Inc. (Feb.)

School Library Journal (Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

Gr 2-5 This picture-book tribute salutes our national pastime, whose "stories are stitched through our nation's history." Borden enumerates the elements of the game, including ballparks and fans, plays and players, in crisp verses paired with Col&3;n's textured and lively drawings: "Baseball is the fastball, the curveball, the knuckleball, the slider, the crack of the bat&30;." A fold-out page gives special attention to Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Roberto Clemente. The author also mentions the "long ago" Negro leagues and the women's league; and notes baseball's ability to bring diverse people together. Emphasis is placed on patriotic elements, such as the playing of the national anthem and the American flag flying above the stands "like a familiar friend." Throughout, Col&3;n's expressive art, rendered in colored pencil and watercolors, enlivens the sometimes static, message-laden narrative. This is a beautiful, well-crafted, and oversize text that will be welcomed and embraced by fans of the game. Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA