  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 12/15/2015 *Starred Review* The second companion book to Winter’s You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?! (2009) is as smart and quirky as Casey Stengel himself. Though he had some notable moments in his playing career, such as hitting the first home run in Ebbets Field (1913) and the first World Series homer in Yankee Stadium (1923), Stengel was better known for what Winter calls his goofballery. After he stopped playing, he managed a series of losing teams before he was hired to manage the Yankees. Despite a continuing reputation for foolery, Stengel used his wits, experience, and canny skills to lead the team during an amazing string of winning seasons: 10 pennants and 7 World Series championships in 12 years. Reading Winter’s amusing and informative text is like listening to your favorite grandfather talk about baseball’s glory days, assuming that Grandpa has a phenomenal memory, a dry sense of humor, and the storytelling skills of Scheherazade. The expressive ink-and-watercolor illustrations make good use of Blitt’s talent for caricature and his vivid, visual imagination (picture a hand with a World Series ring on the thumb and each of the six fingers). From the portraits on the endpapers to the Stengelese quips in the text, here’s a first-rate picture book for baseball fans. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. School Library Journal - 01/01/2016 Gr 2–4—The "You Never Heard of…" picture books are back with this interesting look at a baseball personality known more for his managerial style than for his years as a player. In a relaxed, conversational tone, Winter ushers readers through the life of Casey Stengel, whose childhood dream was to be a baseball player (except for "that one time when he wanted to be a dentist"). Stengel wasn't the best player in the league, but what he lacked in talent, he made up for in goofball antics. Readers will surely snicker at his many exploits, both as a player and later as a manager. They'll also see how, despite his wackiness, his persistence got him the gig of a lifetime: managing the New York Yankees. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations perfectly complement the nostalgic glimpse back at the glory days of baseball. Blitt plays with proportions in a classic caricature style that exaggerates the silliness of some stand-out scenes. Interspersed throughout are text boxes with facts and stats. This engaging title will have kids sprinting toward sports biographies to learn more about the many legendary players Stengel played ball with or managed. VERDICT A first-rate first purchase.—Abby Bussen, Muskego Public Library, WI - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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