Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates - Softcover

Jonah Winter is the author of more than thirty celebrated nonfiction picture books including Diego, The Secret Project, and Oil, illustrated by Jeanette Winter; Jazz Age Josephine, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman; Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx, illustrated by Edel Rodriguez; The Founding Fathers! illustrated by Barry Blitt; and Lillian’s Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, illustrated by Shane W. Evans.

Raúl Colón is the award-winning illustrator of many picture books, including Draw! an ALA Notable Book and recipient of the International Latino Book Award; Imagine! an ALA Notable Book, a New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, and a Bookpage Best Book; Susanna Reich’s José! Born to Dance; Angela’s Christmas by Frank McCourt; and Jill Biden’s Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops. Mr. Colón lived in Puerto Rico as a young boy and now resides in New City, New York, with his family.

Grade 2–4—This noteworthy picture-book biography celebrates the Hall of Famer's accomplishments, along with the character and courage that have made him a role model to so many fans. A boy describes how his father, uncle, and mother are all inspired by Clemente and what it is they admire: his record-breaking career, his rise from poverty to baseball stardom, his courage in the face of racism. Mami notes that he proved he was a good son and father by interrupting a post-World Series interview, conducted in English, to speak directly in Spanish to his family in Puerto Rico. The narrator observes that he will choose Clemente for "hero day" at school, since he knows the stats, facts, "and I can tell you todo, everything." Perdomo's joyful prose, a catchy mix of Spanish and English, captures the awe and warm affection fans feel toward the player: "Clemente! Clemente!/It's us, tu gente!/Clemente! Clemente!/Prince of the baseball diamante!" Borders and text fonts suggest the athlete's mythic status, while Collier's watercolor and collage illustrations teem with detail and vibrancy. One detail, an airplane, shows up repeatedly, presaging Clemente's tragic death while bringing aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Collier uses layered images to suggest the man's athletic grace and prowess, and his artful compositions place his subject squarely in the center of things. Like Jonah Winter's Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates (S & S, 2005), this winning tribute to a great humanitarian athlete will resonate with a wide audience.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
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