Matt Christopher's Baseball Jokes and Riddles
Grade 3-5?The title of this short compilation is somewhat deceiving, as the book includes funny anecdotes from baseball history, references to players' unusual names or nicknames, and some jokes and riddles. The jokes, mostly dialogues, are largely unsuccessful: "Catcher: 'You look a little nervous out there today.' Pitcher: 'Whenever I pitch against the Cubs, I just can't bear it.' " The anecdotes, however, contain the sort of goofy bits of trivia that have sustained baseball fans for years. Adding to the presentation are Vasconcellos's pen-and-ink cartoons, with a particularly effective frog in the outfield snaring a fly ball. This volume seems somewhat slapped together, but Christopher's popularity should keep it from collecting dust on the shelf.?Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, ILCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.