Picture Book #19

Title:  The Babe & I

Author:  David A. Adler

Illustrator: Terry Widener

Genre:  Youth Fiction 

Subgenre:  Historical/Realistic Fiction 

Themes:  The Great Depression in the U.S. during the 1930's, money making projects, Babe Ruth, baseball, family loyalty, fathers and sons, teamwork, unemployment 

Primary and Secondary Characters: a boy (main character), his father and mother, his friend Jacob, Mrs. Johnson and Babe Ruth

Awards:  Golden Kite Honor Book, Jefferson Cup Honor Book

Date of Publication:  1999

Publishing Company:  Voyager Books, Harcourt, Inc.

Summary:

Just a boy living in New York City, he is dealing with the Depression just as much as anyone else.  For his birthday, his dad gives him a whopping ten cents.  Terribly disappointed, he tags along with his friend Jacob to go and spend it.  The boys noticed a woman selling apples for five cents a piece on the sidewalk, and decided to buy themselves apples from the birthday money.  As they both turn the corner, the boy notices that his father is selling apples too.  Surprised, the boy feels bad that his dad is having to work this dreadful job.  But, his friend Jacob invites him to tag-along with his newspaper selling.  Going just to see what it's all about, he realizes that he too, can sell newspapers.  He helps his friend Jacob sell many newspapers when they go close to Yankee stadium.  Jacob tells him to pitch the latest Yankee baseball news to customers and they will buy newspapers like they're going out of style.  And was Jacob right!  As him and Jacob sell newspapers one day, a man buys a newspaper for five dollars, which was way over the asking price.  Jacob excitedly runs towards the boy and tells him that Babe Ruth just bought a newspaper from him!  From there on, the boy is a huge Yankee's fan.  And as for his newspaper business, he contributes Babe Ruth for his newspaper success.  He was now able to become a team with his dad so they could both make enough money to support their family.  They were both getting through the hard times, but now, they were together.

How it will be used in the classroom:
I really enjoy how historical fiction books can be read in the classroom to help teach reality in the past. This is a great example of that and this can show students in grades 1-4 that girls and boys their age in the 1930's were living completely different lives at a different time in history.  This would be a great book to show them how differently their lives could be if they lived during that time in history.