• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

The most unusual baseball facts you’ll ever find!

Referred to as “America’s National Pastime,” and “The Greatest Sport on Earth,” baseball has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of people.

Behind the game lies a wealth of science, folklore, mathematics, psychology—and a very colorful past. Whether they are die-hard fans or casual spectators, readers will be captivated by this collection of fascinating, little-known facts. For example did you know that the yarn in a single baseball is long enough to reach from the street to the top of the Empire State Building or that in the old days playoff tickets were sold for people to stand in the outfield: fans might move to help the home team but not budge an inch for opposing players.

With lots of humorous, colorful illustrations, charts, and graphs, Baseballogy explores such diverse topics as the materials used to make the balls (including fish eyes, once used for the core!), freak injuries (one player was stabbed by a bat!), and the chances of making it to “the show” (1 in about 14,000 baseball playing kids will get to the big leagues).

For real baseball aficionados, there’s a section on the physics of hitting the ball, a look at some long-standing records they might not have known about, and explanations of the numbers on baseball cards, play-by-plays, and even the players’ shirts. A Baseball Trivia Quiz at the end of the book lets kids test their knowledge with questions like, “What does OPS mean?” and “What are the seven ways a hitter can make it to home base?”

Entertaining, informative, and highly visual, Baseballogy is the perfect sports book for all kids—especially reluctant boy readers.

KEVIN SYLVESTER est auteur laure´at, illustrateur, journaliste, animateur de radio, re´alisateur et documentariste. Il a e´crit les livres de la se´rie MiNRS et Neil Flambe´, ainsi que les livres documentaires Gold Medal for Weird et Sports Hall of Weird. Kevin est reconnu pour son habilete´ de faire un souper dernie're minute avec ce qui est moindrement consommable dans son frigo. Il peut aussi transformer des cercles en chats et des cornets de cre'me glace´e en dragons. Kevin habite a' Toronto.

KEVIN SYLVESTER is an award-winning writer, illustrator, reporter, radio sports host, producer and documentary maker. His books include the MiNRS and Neil Flambé series. Kevin's claims his superpower is that he can take a puck off the head and STILL finish a hockey game. He's also known for his ability to be able to make a last-second dinner from whatever smells reasonably edible in the fridge. And he can instantly turn circles into cats and ice cream cones into dragons. Well, cat and dragon cartoons anyway. He lives in Toronto, Ontario. Visit him online at www.kevinsylvester.online.

Kevin Sylvester's profile page

• Short-listed, Red Cedar Award finalist, B.C.’s Young Readers’ Choice Awards
• Best Bets List, Top Ten, Ontario Library Association

“Baseball fans will welcome this relevant, well-done title, and the whimsical graphics will broaden the audience.”

School Library Journal, 06/15

“This super-fun book is packed full of information presented in a light-hearted format that is sure to engage young readers.”

National Reading Campaign, 06/19/15

“You cannot go wrong with this book.”

Sal’s Fiction Addiction, 05/11/15

“A browser’s delight.”

Kirkus Reviews, 04/15/15

“Will give young baseball enthusiasts hours of entertainment.”

Literacy Daily, International Literacy Association, 07/27/15

“A hit for sports enthusiasts and STEM collections alike.”

Booklist, 07/08/15