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Children’s Books About Diverse Baseball Players
Picture Books About Diverse Baseball Players
It’s the beginning of April and that means that baseball season is officially upon us! And here on the blog, that means it’s time to share a list of children’s books about diverse baseball players.
While baseball has been nicknamed “America’s pastime,” it has hardly been an accurate display of the diversity of the country. There are wonderful children’s book about baseball players who have broken barriers and paved the way for those on the field today.
I grew up in a baseball family. All three of my younger brothers played since the time they knew what a baseball was. Going to St. Louis Cardinals games was one of our favorite family activities, and still is to this day.
Of course I knew the story of how Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, and my mom used baseball as a way to introduce the topic of racism and the Civil Rights movement when she was teaching my brothers.
But I didn’t know the stories of all these other people who shared the love of the game, so I am honored to bring you this list of children’s books about diverse baseball players.
Save for later!
United States v Jackie Robinson
Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen (Author) R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
This book about Jackie Robinson, the first African American major league baseball player, was a story of what happened before he broke the color barrier in baseball.
In 1944, after the military buses were declared integrated, he sat down on a seat on a military bus. He was told to move to the back, but he knew his rights and refused to move. For this event, he was brought before a court martial.
Read about his bravery and how he sat for his rights in The United States v Jackie Robinson
Glenn Burke, Game Changer: The Man Who Invented the High Five
Phil Bildner (Author) Daniel J. O’Brien (Illustrator)
Baseball Saved Us
Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series
All Star: How Larry Doby Smashed the Color Barrier in Baseball
Audrey Vernick (Author) Cannaday Chapman (Illustrator)
Larry Doby was signed to the American Leage team the Cleveland Indians (now the Cleveland Guardians) in 1947, less than two years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in the National League.
This book details the kind of treatment he recieved as one of the first black baseball players in America. In simple language, the author talks about how the teammates didn’t want to warm up with him, called him names, and in general tried to make his experience miserable.
Despite this, Larry Doby was an exceptional baseball player, and eventually was able to receive positive recognition.
This book is a really good one to spark conversations with kids about how to treat people – both in the way we treat other people and the way we should respond if someone isn’t nice.
Be sure to read All Star: How Larry Doby Smashed the Color Barrier in Baseball.
Don’t forget to check your local library for these titles! If you find a book you love, be sure to order through Bookshop.org to support a local independent bookstore of your choice.
