MEDIA

Willie & Me

by Dan GUTMAN
(Baseball Card Adventures: Bk. 12). 3 CDs. 3:08 hrs. Recorded Books. 2015. $30.75. ISBN 9781490629599. digital download.
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Gr 3–6—Joe Stoshak, known throughout the series as Stosh, is traveling back to 1951 to help Ralph Branca, the pitcher who threw the ball to Bobby Thomson that became known as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World." Stosh discovers that the New York Giants were cheating to win the game and feels it will be only right to prevent that ball from ever being hit. However, he learns that changing history can have terrible, unexpected consequences. In this case, preventing that hit leads to the complete downfall of the legendary Willie Mays, and Stosh finds himself struggling to set things right. Narrator Johnny Heller adeptly captures the tone, pacing, and characters. His voice goes a long way in convincing kids that they are back in the 1950s meeting some legends of the game.
VERDICT While this title will appeal most to fans of the series, even non-baseball fans will find themselves connecting with Stosh and his desire to make a positive difference.
Reviewed by Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT , Sep 01, 2015

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