Dad, Jackie, and Me - by Myron Uhlberg (Paperback)

About the Book

Jackie Robinson is the new first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers--and the first black player in Major League Baseball. A young boy shares the excitement of Robinson's rookie season with his deaf father.

Book Synopsis

Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award

A young boy and his deaf father bond over baseball as they root for Jackie Robinson and the Dodgers to win the pennant.

It was Opening Day, 1947. And every kid in Brooklyn knew this was our year. The Dodgers were going to go all the way!

In the summer of 1947, a highly charged baseball season is underway. The new first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson, is the first Black player in Major League Baseball--- and it looks like the team might have what it takes to get to the World Series.

A young boy listens eagerly to the games on the radio, using sign language to tell his deaf father about every new development. Getting into the spirit, his father begins to keep a scrapbook, clipping newspaper articles and photos about Jackie.

One day, the father has big news: they're going to Ebbets field to watch Jackie play in person! As the team draws closer to victory, the boy and his dad become more and more excited, going to every game they can-- and becoming closer themselves through their shared love of the game.

Inspired by memories of watching baseball with his own deaf father, Myron Uhlberg's story touches on the strength and determination needed to overcome prejudice, and the joy of a shared victory. Colin Bootman's realistic watercolor illustrations bring 1940s Brooklyn to life, alternating between the drama of Jackie Robinson's games and tender moments a father and son share.

In a moving Author's Note, Uhlberg explains why his father identified with Robinson and how both men worked to overcome thoughtless prejudice and to prove themselves every day of their lives.

A perfect gift for baseball lovers, readers with deaf family members, and devoted Brooklynites, wherever they may live.

"...an affecting tribute to Robinson, to a dedicated son and to a thoughtful, deep-feeling father. And, of course, to baseball."--Publishers Weekly

Review Quotes

"Genuinely affecting. . . Bootman's realistic, wonderfully expressive watercolor paintings capture the fashions and flavor of 1940's New York in muted brows and greens. The endpapers, an actual scrapbook of old newspaper articles about Robinson, provide a satisfying context for this ultimately upbeat, multi-dimensional story."--Kirkus Reviews

"An affecting tribute to Robinson, to a dedicated son and to a thoughtful, deep-feeling father. And, of course, to baseball."--Publishers Weekly

"It takes the young Uhlberg, narrator of the story, a while to overcome his embarrassment at his father's attempts to cheer for Robinson. . . but eventually Dad's devotion wins the day in a moving finale. Colin Bootman, who earned a Coretta Scott Honor Award for Almost to Freedom (2003), uses evocative watercolors rich in soft browns and lush greens to capture both the feel of the 1940s (fedora-wearing fans) and the electricity of Robinson's play."--Booklist

"Bootman's lovely watercolor paintings add detail and wistful nostalgia. . . [readers] will appreciate the story's insightful treatment of deafness as viewed through the eyes of a child."--School Library Journal

About the Author

Myron Uhlberg is the award-wining and critically acclaimed author of several children's books. Uhlberg is the first-born son of two deaf parents. His first language was ASL (American Sign Language). After graduating from Brandeis University, he served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He then spent the next forty years in the garment industry. His first book was published when he was sixty-six years old. He has appeared on NPR's Talk of the Nation and was featured in the Ken Burns documentary film, Jackie Robinson. He lives in California.

Colin Bootman was born in Trinidad but moved to the United States at the age of seven. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York, he has illustrated numerous books for children, including Almost to Freedom, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book. He lives in New York.