Author: Dan Gutman
Title: Ted & me: A Baseball Card Adventure
Publication Info: New York : Harper, c2012.
Summary/Review:
Joe Stoshack is a kid who can travel in time by touching baseball cards which take him to the time and place of the player in the photo. In this installment of the series, the FBI learns of his ability and send an agent to convince him to go back in time to warn Franklin Roosevelt of the Pearl Harbor attack and prevent the United States entry into World War II. The person to help Stosh on this mission is Red Sox slugger Ted Williams, an appropriately patriotic figure who gave up five seasons of his career to serve in WWII and the Korean War. The characterization of Williams is well done since it captures a person who could be alternately an abrasive jerk and good-humored and generous. Williams is also impulsive enough to take Stosh under his wing, and after finishing up the season in Philadelphia ensuring his .406 batting average, takes Stosh on a road trip. There are a few stops along the way which I won’t spoil, but add to the characterization of Williams and his bond with Stosh. Obviously, Stosh doesn’t prevent World War II, but it’s interesting to see some of the historic detail through his eyes, including a frightening encounter at an America First rally with supporters of Charles Lindbergh, something you wouldn’t expect to see in a children’s book. It’s a good adventure for kids who are fans of baseball and American history.
Rating: ****
Panorama of the Mountains 