How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball

2012 Cover

written and illustrated by David Shannon
Scholastic/Blue Sky Press | 1994

In this stunningly illustrated fanciful tale, Georgie is born into a world with no baseball. A former player Boss Swaggert, who was in a terrible slump that ended his career is now in charge of the world and has outlawed baseball. A perpetual winter and sadness has fallen across the land.

But Georgie is born with an affliction. As soon as he can talk, he utters baseball-inspired phrases for everything, yelling things like "Batter Up!" and "Hit 'em where they ain't!" His parents are horrified and the family is in danger. Georgie is put on trial for his infractions and challenges Boss to a baseball-off. It turns out Georgie is also an amazing pitcher, and he handily beats the evil man, restoring summer and baseball, along with happiness, to all the land.

Older cover

Shannon, best known for his David books (No, David!, David Gets in Trouble, David Goes to School, etc.), creates a fun and beautiful book about baseball that any kid will love. This is an older title, but don't pass it by the next time you're in the library or bookstore. It's just been re-released in March 2012.