Another good read from Gutman. The reader learns not only about the real life "character" Babe Ruth, but also of the depression and how some lived and struggled in 1932.

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I don't like baseball. I don't have a young child at home who likes baseball. It's the time travel scenario that had me interested in reading this book. Also, Babe Ruth is a baseball player that I do know a little bit about. I am from Boston--- and he was The Bambino who placed a curse on my hometown team which has since, of course, been broken. But this is a book about his days as a member of the Yankees, specifically during the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.


Joe Stoshack is a kid with an amazingly cool ability. He can go back in time while holding old baseball cards. He's always been interested in whether or not Babe Ruth really called his shot in game 3 of the 1932 World Series. So when his dad asks for an old Babe Ruth card back so he can cash it in during a time of financial crisis, Joe comes up with a better idea. He goes back in time with his dad, his dad more interested in scheming to make a fortune off the past, Joe just wanting to see Babe call the shot. The result is some touching father/son bonding over their shared 1932 experiences.

Most surprising to me was the wealth of historical knowledge in this book for kids. Not only do you learn all about the many layers of Babe Ruth as a person (the events are all factual, with a few pictures included) but there is also information about the Depression and the hard times of many people during this time period. There is other historical information about things like the upcoming presidential election, race relations, the rise of Hitler and the soon to come Holocaust.

A very well-written piece of historical fiction for children ages 8-12. So well-written that this 30-something non-sports fan wants to read the rest of the series.

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A favorite of my son's....

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