Download high-resolution image

Legends: The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Baseball

World Series Heroics! Greatest Home Run Hitters! Classic Rivalries! And Much, Much More!

Author Howard Bryant

Paperback

$9.99 US

Penguin Young Readers | Puffin Books

5.06"W x 7.75"H x 0.7"D | 7 oz | 36 per carton

On sale Mar 01, 2016 | 256 Pages | 978-0-14-751262-8

Age 8-12 years | Grades 3-7

Reading Level: Lexile 1100L

Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

Children's > Middle Grade
Children's > Non-fiction
Holidays & Seasons > Seasons > Baseball
Literacy & Education > Literacy > Paperbacks
Literacy & Education > Teacher Supply
Non-fiction > Sports & Recreation > Personalities/Franchises
See More

“With the LEGENDS series, Howard Bryant brings to life the best that sports has to offer—the heroes, the bitter rivalries, the moments that every sports-loving kid should know.”—Mike Lupica, #1 bestselling author of Travel Team, Heat, and Fantasy League

Experience baseball's most exciting moments, World Series heroics, greatest players, and more!

Baseball, America's pastime, is a sport of moments that stand the test of time. It is equally a sport of a new generation of heroes, whose exploits inspire today's young fans. This combination makes for a winning debut in Legends: The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Baseball.

This is no traditional almanac of mundane statistics, but rather a storyteller's journey through baseball's storied game. Told in fun, accessible chapters and accompanied by iconic photos, a slew of Top Ten lists for kids to chew on and debate, and a Timeline of the 40 Most Important Moments in Baseball History, this collection covers some of the greatest players from Babe Ruth to Hank Aaron; the greatest teams to take the field and swing the bats; the greatest social triggers, such as Jackie Robinson's breaking of the color barrier; the greatest playoff rivalries, including the 2004 showdown between the Red Sox and Yankees that turned into an instant classic; and, of course, the edge-of-your-seat World Series moments that left some cheering while others wept. This is the perfect book for young fans eager to learn more about the sport that will stay with them for a lifetime.

Praise for LEGENDS:

* "A terrific gathering of heroic hacks and legendary near misses."—Kirkus Books, starred review

Praise for LEGENDS:

“With the LEGENDS series, Howard Bryant brings to life the best that sports has to offer—the heroes, the bitter rivalries, the moments that every sports-loving kid should know.”—Mike Lupica, #1 bestselling author of Travel Team, Heat, and Fantasy League

* "A terrific gathering of heroic hacks and legendary near misses."—Kirkus Books, starred review

Howard Bryant is the author of Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston, which was a finalist for the Society for American Baseball Research’s 2003 Seymour Medal, and Juicing the Game: Drugs, Power, and the Fight for the Soul of Major League Baseball. He is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine; appears regularly on ESPN’s The Sports Reporters, ESPN First Take, and Outside the Lines; and serves as sports correspondent for NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday. He lives in western Massachusetts. View titles by Howard Bryant

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH HOWARD BRYANT!

Q. You have written three award-winning non-fiction books for adult readers. You’re also frequently in the public eye – on TV and radio. Why did you choose to turn your attention to younger readers?

A. The biggest reason I turned to younger readers is because my nine-year old son, Ilan, is a voracious reader and budding tennis player. He loves to read and enjoys sports and Penguin gave us the opportunity to do something collaborative. It is a wonderful challenge to write subjects he may be interested in. The other reason is just as personal. I love words. I live to write and I loved reading when I was a child. Then, as I reached middle school and became devoured by my love of playing sports, I read less and less and didn't rediscover my love of reading until after high school. I hope this series offers young athletes who love both sports and reading to have both, to serve as a reminder that you can play sports while learning about them at the same time.

Q. Why the inclusion of so many Top Ten lists within the book?

A. Baseball has such a great history, we realized by the end of the book that some of the greatest names in the game were not mentioned, so the Top 10 lists were designed to be a fast way to give respect and mention to some of the greats--like Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio--as well as include some lesser-known but important moments in baseball. A few of the lists provide statistical leaderboards so readers can learn about some great names they've likely never heard of.