Casey at the Bat
Gr. 2-6. There always seems to be one more version of the news that there's no joy in Mudville. The 1888 poem is given very modern dress by Neiman, who forsakes his usual gaudy palette for muscular charcoal drawings. There's a profusion of full-page and double-page-spread images of Casey and his fellow players, dramatic close-ups and poses worthy of antique Greek statuary. Neiman raises his figures to mythic level: even long shots showing the pitcher throwing to Casey from the mound achieve a hieratic quality. Christopher Bing's Caldecott Honor book,Casey at the Bat(2000), with its marvelous period images and collage effects, is about as different from Neiman'sSports-Illustrated-esque style as it could possibly be and is possibly more kid-friendly. However, Jose Torre's genial introduction, which talks about teamwork and play and passion, may draw young fans.GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved