Thumb on a Diamond. Ken Roberts. Illustrated by Leanne Franson. Toronto, ON: Groundwood/House of Anansi, 2006. 127 pp., pbk. & cl., $8.95 (pbk.), $18.95 (cl.). ISBN 0-88899-705-1 (pbk.), ISBN 0-88899-629-2 (cl.). Grades 4-6 / Ages 9-11. Review by Shelly Tyler. *** /4 Reviewed from Advance Reader Copy.

excerpt:

As we passed each house, people glanced up from doing dishes or reading books or fixing fishing gear. Nobody was surprised to see Susan or me, but they were surprised to see Mr. Entwhistle. No boat or plane had landed, but here we were, leading a stranger down the boardwalk – a stranger who looked like a famous storybook detective seen on the foggy streets of London, England.

Leon is a 12-year-old boy from the little fishing village of New Auckland, BC. The town, located along the coast of Vancouver Island, has a population of 138 people, contains 42 buildings, a school, a garage and a basketball arena. It also has a group of students who are trying to find a way to visit Vancouver, a place many of the children have never been! When the school board refuses to pay to send all the kids on a trip, Leon and friend Susan put their heads together and devise a plan. Their plan is to start a school baseball team, and, due to lack of competition, they will automatically qualify for the provincial championships being held in Vancouver. The only catch is...New Auckland is too small to even have a baseball diamond for them to practice on!

"Even if we had a team," I said, "and even if the school board was willing to pay for a team to go to the championships, we'd have to beat all the other villages. I don't think we could beat anybody. Have you ever played baseball?"

"You know I haven't. I've lived here my entire life. Do you know how to play?"

     The events that follow the plan are heartwarming and funny and will leave readers cheering for the little team-that-could, all the way. I recommend this book as a fun follow up to The Thumb in the Box. This book has 11 chapters and would be a great read both for boys and girls.

Recommended.

Shelly Tyler is a Reference Librarian with the Manitoba Department of Education Library in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

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