School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5 A short, readable, and attractive photobiography of the legendary player who broke baseball's color barrier. The book focuses on Robinson's childhood and early adulthood, with less emphasis than some longer biographies on his career as an athlete and his involvement with civil rights causes after his playing days were over. The narrative is written in a clear, matter-of-fact style. The archival black-and-white photographs are well chosen and of excellent quality. (Minor design quibbles: on the pages that begin each chapter, the text is overlaid on a photograph, making it difficult to read. Also, on some pages it is difficult to follow the flow of the text.) A time line of African-American milestones in sports history is appended. Although most libraries probably have several books on Robinson, this one has the advantage of being eye-catching and succinct. Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
In this accessible and straightforward biography the author covers Robinson's leadership in breaking barriers in areas other than baseball. Occasionally, the text printed over photographs at the beginning of each section is difficult to read; otherwise, the book is a fine introduction to a leader on and off the diamond. Photographs and an informative list of Milestones in Black Sports are included. Bib. From HORN BOOK Fall 1998, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4^-6. In the wake of the fiftieth anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color line, the outpouring of new books on the Brooklyn Dodger star continues with this attractive photo-essay. Dingle, a Parents' Choice award winner for his line of multicultural comic books, tells Robinson's familiar story effectively, providing an informative overview without subjecting his young audience to excessive detail. Rather than letting Robinson's on-the-field heroics with the Dodgers dominate the story, Dingle wisely devotes considerable space to the lesser-known aspects of the athlete's career: his family life in California, his two years as a multisport star at UCLA (unusual in itself for a black man in the late 1930s), and his experiences in the army, including being court-martialed for refusing to sit at the back of the bus. Black-and-white photos illustrating the various stages in Robinson's career decorate the pages in an eye-catching, scrapbook-style layout. An excellent choice for introducing Robinson to a young audience. --Bill Ott