Slugger

by Susan Pearson, David Slonim (Illustrator)

Overview

Ollie is a slug who loves everything about baseball. More than anything in the world, he wants to make the team. Trouble is, he can’t hold a bat. He isn’t much of a pitcher either. And he is pretty slow at running the bases. But Ollie is one determined slug…and finally he gets his Big Chance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781477816417
Publisher:	Amazon Publishing
Publication date:	03/19/2013
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Author Susan Pearson has written more than 35 books for children. She lives in an old farmhouse in Plainsfield, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 2—The expression "slugger" takes on an entirely new meaning in this tale of a slug with a dream of playing ball. Ollie practices relentlessly for a spot on Coach Roach's insect-infested baseball team, and he finally earns his chance during the big game against the Swingin' Stingers. He scoots up to the muddy plate and, predictably, drives home the winning run. Googly-eyed characters don incredulous expressions as they participate in the sport. Pointed references take a humorous stab at some of the greatest players of all time (e.g.,"Mickey Mantis," "Babe Beetle," et al). While the convenient ending lacks drama, Ollie's feverish determination adds some intensity. "Day after day, in wind…and rain…and sweltering sun, he kept at it." The acrylic, pencil, and ball-point-pen illustrations capture the nimble expressions of the animated backyard critters and use pale colors to convey the mass of the crowds. Some of the jokes fall flat ("It was a SLUGGIFEROUS DAY!"), but all in all, Ollie's efforts move the plot along.—Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

School Library Journal

A slug with dreams of baseball glory finds success on the diamond thanks to a modified helmet. Ollie loves everything about baseball, especially his favorite team, the Creepy Crawlers. He longs to join such stars as Grasshopper Bob, Bombardier Bill, Mickey Mantis and Babe Beetle. But how? With no arms, he can't very well pitch or catch, and he doesn't exactly light up the base paths with his speed. His only hope is to become a slugger, but there's still that no-arms problem. Ollie is nothing if not persistent, though. Equipped with a helmet-mounted bat, he whiffs at pitch after pitch from pal Sammy Stinkbug in private practice till, finally, he clobbers one. Despite not having witnessed this, Coach Roach gives him one try, and on a made-to-slug-order rainy, sloppy day, Ollie drives in Grasshopper Bob for victory and a place in the lineup. There's not much to make the story stand out; Ollie's success is a foregone conclusion, and his path to it is so truncated it would be unbelievable even if he did have arms. There's mild amusement in Slonim's depictions of Ollie twisting himself into knots, eyestalks crossed crazily as he powers the business end of his bat through a swing. The illustrations don't follow through on the story's logic, though, picturing him somehow holding variously a bag of popcorn and a book despite his armlessness. A blooper. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews