books for loan books to own By Lisa Thalhimer

Poet Gene Fehler writes an unusual baseball novel titled Beanball (Clarion). Told in a type of free verse by 28 different narrators, this is the story of the literal and psychological impact of a wild pitch. Thrown by Compton High School pitcher Kyle Dawkins, the ball smacks into the face of Oak Grove’s star outfielder Luke “Wizard” Wallace.
 
The umpire’s words immediately pull readers into the action.
It’s the worst sound I ever heard
in all my years of umping.
Oh, I’ve heard plenty of pitches hit a helmet.
But this… this fastball up and in.
This one hit bone, right in the face.
Not even a scream or a grunt from the kid.
He went down like he was shot.
 
I know him.
I’ve umped and reffed
maybe a dozen of his games.
Not just baseball—
football and basketball, too.
The kid’s a great athlete, a natural.
That’s why it was such a shock to see him
go down like that.
 
The screams came from everywhere:
bleachers,
dugouts,
infield
mound.
 
Even me.
 
In a spare 119 pages, Fehler immerses us into the reactions and emotions of coaches, parents, Wizard’s girlfriend, teammates, friends and teachers when they learn that Wizard is blind in one eye.
 
Kyle Dawkins, the pitcher from Oak Grove, feels the burden of guilt so keenly that he quits the baseball team. He turns his back on the pro scouts and letters from colleges. But it is Wizard’s own reaction to the news, to his surgeries, to the possible end of a promising baseball career that grips readers.
 
With a strong circle of family and friends and a new and very intuitive girlfriend, Wizard is determined to begin the next school year playing all sports. His grit and resolve is in stark contrast to Kyle’s decision and forces Kyle to ponder playing again.
 
Recommended for sports enthusiasts ages 9 to 12. 
 
 
A humorous new picture book written and illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain is titled Please Don’t Tease Tootsie (Dutton). With large, boldly colored illustrations and simple text, Chamberlain encourages youngsters to treat animals with respect.
 
“Please don’t tease Tootsie” is a two-page spread in lavender depicting a little girl pointing a hose in the direction of a very large, red cat with angry eyes and a puffed-up posture. It is followed by “or provoke Poochie” showing a girl riding on the back of an angry-looking spotted dog. The background is bold red with prominent shadows of the girl and the dog.
 
Chamberlain follows the series of admonishments with a succession of positive things to do with animals.
 
Mutley’s here for you to dote on. Will you put his new blue coat on?
 
Mutley is a very happy dog wearing a sweater and wagging his tail.
 
Recommended for ages 3 to 5.
 
 
Author and illustrator Matthew McElligott’s picture book, Bean Thirteen (Putnam) is a successful attempt at a story about division. That’s right. When two bugs, Ralph and Flora, harvest beans for their evening meal, Ralph is aghast that Flora insisted on picking the 13th bean.
 
“Thirteen is an unlucky number,” said Ralph. “Everyone knows that.”
 
Flora thinks this is a silly superstition, but neither of them wants to eat that 13th bean. They decide to invite a friend over to split the beans, but no matter how many friends they think to include, there is always that last unlucky bean left over.
 
The solution occurs to Ralph when their guests arrive. He dumps all the beans in a bowl and tells his friends to help themselves.
 
Recommended for ages 5 to 9.
 
 
Look for an energetic rhyming picture book next month titled Peter Spit a Seed at Sue (Viking) by Jackie French Koller with illustrations by John Manders. The text begins with a slow pace.
 
Mary Lou and I were bored and so were Pete and Sue next door. Over they came and we were four.
 
Four kids on a boring porch, watching a bug crawl cross the floor.
 
The tempo increases when the watermelon man drives through the streets of town selling his juicy treats. Before long, watermelon seeds are flying.
Off we ran across the yard,
Spitting fast and spitting hard.
The laundry fluttered in the breeze
As seeds buzzed through the air like bees.
Soon most of the town is spitting seeds. It’s infectious. In fact, make sure you have a watermelon on hand before reading this book—and a nice day in which to spit seeds!
Recommended for ages 4 through 7.
 
 
Pigs Love Potatoes (Philomel) by Anika Denise with illustrations from her husband, Christopher, is a delightful counting tale reminiscent of “The Little Red Hen.”
 
In this picture book, one pig comes to Mama asking for potatoes. Mama starts the cooking process. Pigs number two, three and four want potatoes, too. They begin to peel.  Soon neighbors arrive, wanting potatoes.
“Nine potatoes for nine piggies,”
Says Mama with a grin,
Add one more for good measure
Splash!
In goes number TEN!
Recommended for ages 3 to 6.

Lisa welcomes your comments about these books or any other children’s books you enjoy. Her e-mail is booklustr@aol.com.

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