  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 01/01/2016 This entertaining picture-book biography documents the adventures of Edith Houghton, a shortstop with the Philadelphia Bobbies, an all-girl exhibition baseball team from the 1920s and ’30s. Droll illustrations and brief, well-chosen anecdotes help readers appreciate the early-twentieth-century novelty of women’s professional sports, and demonstrate how women had to compete against men, due to lack of female competition. The Bobbies traveled across the U.S. and Canada, and even embarked on a cultural exchange tournament to Japan. What makes the story interesting to young readers is that Edith first started playing for the team in elementary school, when she was 10. This timely message about playing simply for the love of the game, as opposed to personal glory or celebrity, comes through loud and clear. Sadly, Vernick just missed out on the opportunity to interview Edith herself—an author’s note states that Edith died in 2013, just before her 101st birthday, as Vernick was completing this timely and engaging tribute. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
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