Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature)
Honus Wagner, born of hard-working German immigrants in a small town near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1874, became one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He left school after sixth grade and worked in the coal mines. He honed his skills during the Sunday afternoon family baseball games. His story and baseball history come alive in the hands of this skilled storyteller. Yolen provides an overview of Wagner’s life and professional career, and presents vignettes that provide glimpses into his character. Yolen ends each of these with the phrase, “How about that!” which was used by the baseball great himself after telling a story. The repetition of the phrase not only signals these little stories but also adds a pleasing storytelling quality to the book. Because of his concerns about encouraging children to smoke, Wagner demanded the cancellation of the baseball card that was included in cigarette packs. A few were sold, however, so the famous T206 Wagner card is extremely rare. Illustrator Burke is a baseball fan, and his enthusiasm for the history of the game and its players is evident in his work. Wagner is often pictured larger than life in these oils, reflecting both his physical size as well as his influence on the game of baseball. By varying the points of view and angles, Burke provides a fresh perspective for the reader with each turn of the page. 2010, Philomel/Penguin Young Readers, $17.99. Ages 6 to 10.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2010 (Vol. 78, No. 4))
Honus Wagner's life is often summed up in the story of his very rare baseball card. Yolen goes beyond this myth and in an entertaining tall-tale tone tells the story of the young Wagner and how he made the transition from working in the mines to joining the first class in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Burke's rich oils, in muted tones and from a variety of perspectives, are filled with details for the baseball fan to pore over. The first illustration shows the young Hans, called Honus, on his father's knee, his signature bowed legs naked while he plays catch with his brothers. The shadows from the window form a home-plate trapezoid on the rug. Readers see Wagner grow into "Old Reliable," the barrel-chested, long-armed speedster who became such an important part of Pittsburgh baseball. Tales of Wagner's speed (he once carried a teammate over home plate) and determination (he batted away cushions and bottles thrown at an umpire by an angry crowd with complete accuracy) make up the bulk of this volume. An engaging artist's note describes his research, but there is no corresponding author's note to help young baseball enthusiasts parse legend from fact. 2010, Philomel, 32p, $17.99. Category: Picture book/biography. Ages 6 to 10. © 2010 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paula Duffy Swan (Library Media Connection, April 2010)
For boys and girls who love baseball-elementary readers will gravitate to this book. An inspiring story of "not a beautiful" boy from a poor immigrant German family struggling to survive may also resonate with young readers. This is not just a story of the American pastime, but a story of American life in the nineteenth century, including child labor. Life in the coal mining region of Pennsylvania is described, along with the themes of hard work and perseverance. Readers can gain a sense of history and struggle common for many Americans then and now. This Horatio Alger story, by a notable author and illustrator, conveys the inspiring biography of a great player and an honorable and principled man. Recommended. 2010, Philomel Books (Penguin Young Readers Group), 40pp., $17.99 hc..