Out of the Ballpark

by Alex Rodriguez, Frank Morrison (Illustrator)

Overview

Before he hit 400 home runs...
Before he was named
American League MVP...
Before he was AROD to
millions of fans...
He was Alex.

Just a kid who wanted to play baseball more than anything else in the world.

Baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez has drawn on his own childhood experiences to create this exciting picture book. It's the story of a boy named Alex who knows what it's like to swing at a wild pitch or have a ball bounce right between his legs. Alex is determined not to let his mistakes set him back—even if it means getting up at the crack of dawn to work on his hitting and fielding before school each day!

Full of the spirit of determination and joy in the game that put AROD in a league of his own, Out of the Ballpark is a gift from a great sports hero to every young player who dreams of becoming a star.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062067012
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/07/2010
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Alex Rodriguez is the third baseman for the New York Yankees. Three times voted the American League Most Valuable Player, he was born in New York City, moved with his family to their native Dominican Republic when he was four, then moved to Miami with his family at the age of eight. The only person in baseball history to hit 400 home runs before his thirtieth birthday, he hit his first home run at the age of six. Drafted out of high school, he played for the Seattle Mariners and then the Texas Rangers before being signed by the Yankees. Alex lives in New York City and Miami, Florida.

Alex Rodríguez juega la tercera base para los Yankees de Nueva York. Ha sido elegido dos veces como jugador más valioso (MVP) de la Liga Americana. Nació en Nueva York y a los cuatro años se mudó con su familia a su país de origen, la República Dominicana. Cuando Alex tenía ocho años, regresaron para radicarse en Miami. El único jugador en la historia del béisbol que ha bateado 400 jonrones antes de cumplir los treinta años de edad, ¡Alex bateó su primer jonrón a los seis años! Seleccionado en la escuela secundaria entre los mejores del país por los Marineros de Seattle, jugó para los Rancheros de Texas antes de ser contratado por los Yankees. Alex, su esposa Cynthia y su hijita viven en la ciudad de Nueva York y en Miami, FL.

Frank Morrison is the award-winning illustrator of many books for young readers, including Jazzy Miz Mozetta by Brenda C. Roberts, winner of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent; Katheryn Russell-Brown's Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book; and Gene Barretta's Muhammad Ali. Before becoming a children's book illustrator and fine artist, Morrison toured the globe as a break-dancer. He lives in Georgia with his family. You can visit him online at www.morrisongraphics.com.

Editorial Reviews

Universally known as A-Rod, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is one of the most famous athletes on earth. In this autobiographical fiction, Rodriguez tracks a young player named Alex as he gains the discipline, motivation, and skills that help him lead his team to a championship. This winning story is complemented by Frank Morrison's colorful artwork and three pages of photos of real-life Alex as a child and a major league player.

New York Yankees third baseman Rodriguez dips into his childhood to field this buoyant tale of a ballplayer with an obvious passion for the game. Though young Alex desperately hopes to play well during the playoff game and make his family proud, the boy repeatedly botches plays ("I think I'm setting a record for errors and strikeouts in the same game"). Yet his team wins and progresses to the championships. The next morning, Alex wakes at dawn to practice (in an extraneous, odd scene, he and a teammate run past their teacher, who is holding her nose, and Alex says to his pal, "If we stink now, wait till after practice this afternoon"). Rodriguez sets up an expected but still satisfying climax: in the bottom of the last inning of the championship game, Alex bats with the bases loaded and, with two strikes, hits a grand slam to win the team's first championship. Morrison's (Jazzy Miz Mozetta) stylized paintings capture the story's energy and his playfully skewed perspectives keep things light. In a concluding note, Rodriguez shares his "recipe for success," which entails working hard on and off the field, staying away from drugs and showing respect for others. Baseball-loving kids will appreciate the message that even future MVPs can have an off day, and young Yankee fans will especially appreciate the photos of Rodriguez's boyhood plus a Topps baseball card with a photo of the young ballplayer (attached to the back endpapers). Ages 4-8. (Feb.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 1-3 - This picture book by a New York Yankees' star features the familiar story of a young boy who achieves his ballpark dreams through hard work and determination. His team is in the playoffs, but he is having a terrible game. The Caribes win, nonetheless, and they're on their way to the championship. Alex, however, wants to improve, and practices constantly with a friend (even going so far as to get up at 5:00 a.m. to practice before school). Young Alex is a likable protagonist who's also playing for his friends and family in the stands. Morrison's action-packed illustrations, in vivid hues, help keep the story moving at a brisk pace. Rodriguez concludes with a note that includes his credo for success: "No matter what your dreams and goals, you can never go wrong if you give them all you've got." The scrapbook of photos from his youth, including pictures of his family and friends, is nicely done. This book's appeal will lie mainly with young fans of the Yankee athlete.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

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