Pick of the Day: Take Me Out to the Yakyu

MESHON, Aaron. Take Me Out to the Yakyu. illus. by author. 40p. glossary. S & S/Atheneum. Feb. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4177-4; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-4178-1. LC 2011050907.
K-Gr 2–A young boy compares and contrasts the game of baseball as it is played and enjoyed by fans in the United States and in Japan. He has the good fortune of experiencing the action in both countries. “My American pop pop takes me to watch baseball at the stadium./My Japanese ji ji takes me to watch yakyu at the dome.” Everything from transportation to and from the ballpark to snacks, souvenirs, and the appropriate cheers is included, as well as differences in the actual play. A glossary of both baseball and “Other Fun Words” is appended, as is an informative author’s note outlining other differences. The bright and cheerful acrylic illustrations feature shades of blue for the U. S. and reds for Japan, making it easy to distinguish between the two. The pages are nicely designed with clean lines and no clutter. A lively and enjoyable read for baseball fans, and a great choice for those compare-and-contrast lessons.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ