Just Like Josh Gibson

Author/Illustrator: Angela Johnson/Beth Peck
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: None
Grade Level: 1st-4th

This book is about overcoming challenges and people who are always telling you no. A young girl who loved baseball was not allowed to play the game because she was a girl. In the 40s girls didn't play boy sports. She knew the ins and out of baseball. She attended every game and every practice. Sometimes they would let her join in on a practice, but never a game. One day during a game Danny fell and got injured. They all turned to this young girl to step up to the plate. She hit a home run that won the game. This book outlines the challenges she faced to play the sport she loved just like Josh Gibsons. Josh Gibson was one of the best negro league baseball players who never made it to the majors.

This book would be great for students anywhere from 1st grade to 4th. I could use this book to teach students to overcome challenges and to never give up just like the young girl in the story. This is also a great read for girls who love sports. Most girls think that sports books are only for boys, but this one has a different perspective.