Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Grade 2–4—This noteworthy picture-book biography celebrates the Hall of Famer's accomplishments, along with the character and courage that have made him a role model to so many fans. A boy describes how his father, uncle, and mother are all inspired by Clemente and what it is they admire: his record-breaking career, his rise from poverty to baseball stardom, his courage in the face of racism. Mami notes that he proved he was a good son and father by interrupting a post-World Series interview, conducted in English, to speak directly in Spanish to his family in Puerto Rico. The narrator observes that he will choose Clemente for "hero day" at school, since he knows the stats, facts, "and I can tell youtodo, everything." Perdomo's joyful prose, a catchy mix of Spanish and English, captures the awe and warm affection fans feel toward the player: "Clemente! Clemente!/It's us,tu gente!/Clemente! Clemente!/Prince of the baseballdiamante!" Borders and text fonts suggest the athlete's mythic status, while Collier's watercolor and collage illustrations teem with detail and vibrancy. One detail, an airplane, shows up repeatedly, presaging Clemente's tragic death while bringing aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Collier uses layered images to suggest the man's athletic grace and prowess, and his artful compositions place his subject squarely in the center of things. Like Jonah Winter'sRoberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates(S & S, 2005), this winning tribute to a great humanitarian athlete will resonate with a wide audience.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA(c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.