Hooray for the Dandelion Warriors! (Little Bill Books for Beginning Readers)

Rating:
Summary: Little Bill wants to play second base on the baseball team
Review: Little Bill has no problems with boys and girls playing together on a baseball team until a new girl shows up and wants to play HIS position (which would be second base). Of course, it is not just that Simone wants to play second base or that she is taller than Little Bill, but more that she hits the ball into the next state, runs as fast as a superhero about to take off flying, and can also catch and throw the ball. Little Bill goes home and complains to his parents. His father says that he never lost a position to a girl in any sport, but his mother points out that boys would never let girls play way back then. However, it is Alice the Great who points out that Little Bill is thinking more about himself than about his team.

The team also has another problem, in that they have not decided on a name for their team. The girls want to be called the Dandelions (just try to get rid of them) but the boys want a tough name like the Warriors. Of course, the title of Bill Cosby's "Hooray for the Dandelion Warriors!" sort of gives away how that one gets resolved, but that it not as big of a concern as Little Bill's problem with his competition with Simone, although both speak go a "gender gap" among the friends. In his letter to parents at the start of the book, child psychiatry specialist Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint explains why traditionally boys are encouraged to be active in sports, which explains why they might assume that they would naturally be better than girls at games like baseball. He also explains why what happens in this story is a good lesson for Little Bill and other boys to learn.

In addition to Little Bill's great-grandmother, Alice the Great, the other person who shows they know waht the right thing is in this situation happens to be the coach of Little Bill's baseball team. When it comes to what position everybody will be playing and what the name of the team will be, the coach shows that he knows what is important. If Little Bill and his teammates do not understand that yet, then their coach will teach them so that they understand how a team plays like a team. These Little Bill Books for Beginning Readers by the beloved comedian Bill Cosby and illustrator Varnette P. Honeywood all focus on not only the value of friendships and family relationships but also encourage young children to solve their problems in creative and fair ways.

Rating:
Summary: Little Bill wants to play second base on the baseball team
Review: Little Bill has no problems with boys and girls playing together on a baseball team until a new girl shows up and wants to play HIS position (which would be second base). Of course, it is not just that Simone wants to play second base or that she is taller than Little Bill, but more that she hits the ball into the next state, runs as fast as a superhero about to take off flying, and can also catch and throw the ball. Little Bill goes home and complains to his parents. His father says that he never lost a position to a girl in any sport, but his mother points out that boys would never let girls play way back then. However, it is Alice the Great who points out that Little Bill is thinking more about himself than about his team.

The team also has another problem, in that they have not decided on a name for their team. The girls want to be called the Dandelions (just try to get rid of them) but the boys want a tough name like the Warriors. Of course, the title of Bill Cosby's "Hooray for the Dandelion Warriors!" sort of gives away how that one gets resolved, but that it not as big of a concern as Little Bill's problem with his competition with Simone, although both speak go a "gender gap" among the friends. In his letter to parents at the start of the book, child psychiatry specialist Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint explains why traditionally boys are encouraged to be active in sports, which explains why they might assume that they would naturally be better than girls at games like baseball. He also explains why what happens in this story is a good lesson for Little Bill and other boys to learn.

In addition to Little Bill's great-grandmother, Alice the Great, the other person who shows they know waht the right thing is in this situation happens to be the coach of Little Bill's baseball team. When it comes to what position everybody will be playing and what the name of the team will be, the coach shows that he knows what is important. If Little Bill and his teammates do not understand that yet, then their coach will teach them so that they understand how a team plays like a team. These Little Bill Books for Beginning Readers by the beloved comedian Bill Cosby and illustrator Varnette P. Honeywood all focus on not only the value of friendships and family relationships but also encourage young children to solve their problems in creative and fair ways.