Zachary's Ball

Rating:
Summary: magic at Fenway Park
Review: I have the very great honor of seeing this book before it was published, and meeting the author. He's created a lovely work, which captures in elegant drawings and brief text the magic that childhood can have. There is a timeless quality to the story as well. The storyline is simple and best left as a surprise, but if you are looking for a good book for a young reader, particularly one who loves baseball, you can't go wrong with this book. Fans of Fenway Park will also be quite pleased.

Rating:
Summary: If you like baseball
Review: Like all good baseball stories, this one is a little corny. The somewhat smarmy illustrations tell a story better appreciated by adults than by kids, about nostalgia and Fenway Park. This book is sure to be most popular in the Boston area, but all baseball fans may enjoy its hopeful tone.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous
Review: Matt has captured the magic of attending a game at Fenway Park in splendid fashion. It brought back warm memories of attending my first Red Sox game with my father almost 25 years ago. With a sweet story and the amazing drawings, this is a must-read book for any young kid. It will surely start a love affair with the game of baseball.

Rating:
Summary: For Red Sox Fans Young And Old
Review: The plot of ZACHARY'S BALL is basic enough: it tells the story of Zachary and his father attending a baseball game, Zachary's father catching a ball, and the dream that the young man has when he falls asleep. Tavaraes accomplishes three things in this book. First, he beautifully tells the story of a touching father/son memory. He also writes about his love of baseball. Perhaps the book's greatest accomplishment is the way in which he brings Fenway Park and the Red Sox to life. The Red Sox are one of the more magical and mythical teams in baseball and fit well into Tavares' tale.

Young readers will love the book, but it will definitely touch a chord with Red Sox fans young and old.

Rating:
Summary: A Magical Book for All Ages!
Review: This is the kind of children's book that comes along rarely (and usually wins awards when it does...). The black-and-white pencil illustrations are astonishing. The young boy's face is literally lit from within -- something that would seem technically impossible with such a simple medium. And the story is pure magic. I gave the book to my husband (a big baseball fan) and he couldn't get past the first page without tears in his eyes, remembering his first visit to Fenway Park. But you don't have to be a baseball fan (or a man!) to cherish this story about a young man and his magic baseball. I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages -- and for anyone who simply appreciates beautiful art. I'm sure we'll be hearing more about this author/illustrator in the months and years to come.