First up: the magnificent "We Are the Ship", written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson. This sumptuous, warm book outlines the enormous challenges and achievements of the Negro Baseball League. The perspective of the illustrations create a feeling of actually being on the field, on the mound, playing the game under a sharp sun. Nelson, whose thoughtful illustrations previously graced Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom and Henry's Freedom Box has portrayed the elegance of baseball in a stirring and personal way.
("We Are the Ship" was awarded the 2009 Robert F. Sibert award and the 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator Award.)
Mighty Jackie: The Strike-Out Queen, an ALA Notable Book of 2005, is another exceptional information book about the history of baseball. It tells the story of Jackie Mitchell, a 17-year-old woman who pitched against Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig, and struck them both out.
For an excellent general grounding on the history of baseball, we suggest The Story of Baseball. This compendium earned an ALA Notable book award for 1984, combining information about baseball fundamentals, the development of the game and information about the various characters who defined the sport for decades to come. This work was updated in 1999.
Jonah Winter and Andre Carrilho's collaboration in You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! makes for an exceptional work. With unique, stylized images, Carrilho crafts a vivid and exciting perspective on the life of Sandy Koufax, while Winter's prose illuminates the strength and character that made Sandy Koufax a baseball hero. The work earned an ALA Notable Award for 2010.
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