3.5 Stars

A simple verse novel about family and keeping dreams alive. It gently touches on some serious themes such as racism, having a parent in prison, and war. I think this was lovely. ( )

Great poems for any students who may be interested in baseball.

Joe Dimaggio is exactly who the boy wants to become when he grows up. This collection of poems is about Joe's life as a great baseball player. Throughout the poems the boy realizes that he is the decider of his fate and can become anything he sets his mind to . I would use this book in the classroom to teach the children about the history of baseball and to get them thinking about their career goals for the future.

B+ This book is short but you cannot believe how it will move you. A young boy growing up in the 1940's and 1950's sees his life unfolding while Joe DiMaggio's career ascends. While his respect for DiMaggio grows, his respect for his own father shrinks

Becoming Joe DiMaggio is a collection of poems about a boy and what he wants his future to be about. The poems are all about the baseball player Joe DiMaggio and his life. The little boy wants to be as great as DiMaggio when he grows up. In the end, the boy realizes he wants to be a doctor instead. I would use this in a history class because it has the war, and alos baseball is history too. It'll teach students to never give up, and to look forward for whats to come in the future. ( )