Review by Booklist Review
Tavares' latest baseball profile, featuring Pedro Martínez, is as much an homage to the love between brothers as it is a biography. Watching his older brother, Ramón, pitch in their village of Manoguayabo, in the Dominican Republic, is just the beginning of young Pedro's admiration. As Ramón teaches him how to throw rocks at the mangos in the trees but only the ripe ones and starts training with the Dodgers' Dominican baseball academy, Pedro follows every bit of his big brother's advice. In time, Pedro catches the attention of the Dodger scouts himself, but he almost misses the opportunity because of his smaller stature. Expressive watercolor-and-gouache illustrations help depict the next two decades, as Pedro first joins Ramón in the major leagues and then is traded to the Expos, where he finally stands out as a starting pitcher in his own right. Despite the awards and accolades over the years, Pedro never loses sight of his humble background or gratitude for his brother's talent and teaching. Concluding stats top off this winning title.--Leeper, Angela Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In his latest picture-book tribute to a baseball great, Tavares traces the career of Pedro Martínez, beginning with his childhood in the Dominican Republic, where he idolized his older brother, Ramón. After Ramón was drafted to play with the Dodgers, Pedro joined the team soon after. Tavares emphasizes how the brothers' careers often ran in concert-both eventually played for the Red Sox and found time to celebrate their team's success back on their childhood turf. Tavares's luminous paintings pair with accessible prose arranged into verselike passages to create a vivid portrait of two contemporary athletes. Ages 8-12. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Tavares is no stranger to the baseball picture book biography genre. He has several examples under his belt: There Goes Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived (2012) and Becoming Babe Ruth (2013, both Candlewick). With his latest, Tavares looks to a more recent time and player, Cy Young Award winner and World Series champion Pedro Martinez. Tavares begins in the Dominican Republic in 1981, where Martinez witnessed his older brother Ramon's rise to stardom. Tavares masterfully depicts, with quick verse and beautiful illustrations, the world in which the two siblings came of age. Though he was considered too small to make it as a pitcher in the major leagues, his persistence eventually paid off and he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers and moved to the United States. Martinez journeyed to America, facing challenges as he adapted to a new language and culture. After describing of the athlete's major league triumphs with several teams, Tavares leads readers back to the mango groves of the Dominican Republic, where Martinez developed into one of the best pitchers in baseball history. It is somewhat vexing that there is no mention of how in 2004, with Martinez, the Boston Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years; however, this is a strong overview of a remarkable athlete. Martinez's unbelievable statistics are included at the end of the book. VERDICT A wonderful introduction to a truly special player.-Keith Klang, Port Washington Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Longtime baseball fan Tavares (Becoming Babe Ruth, rev. 1/13, et al.) highlights the relationship between two baseball greats: brothers Ramn and Pedro Martnez. It's 1981 in the Dominican Republic, and older brother Ramn is showing real promise as a baseball player. Pedro loves baseball too, but feels that his small size will prevent him from ever being a star. Eventually Ramn is signed with the Dodgers, and Pedro tags along to practices, hoping for his chance. Tavares highlights their warm filial relationship, inviting readers to understand how Ramn is challenged by loneliness in America, mostly because his lack of English prevents him from communicating. Pedro follows Ramn's suggestion and learns English, which helps when Pedro is also drafted to the Dodgers. The second half of the book will be familiar to students of the game: Pedro's eventual contract with the Red Sox and his heroics in the 1999 playoffs. Tavares's story ends in the present, with the brothers' return to the Dominican Republic, where they have built a home for their family along with churches, schools, and baseball fields. The gouache and watercolor paintings lovingly depict both players, from boyhood to adulthood. Tavares captures some of the iconic images of Pedro: pitching with intensity, goofing off in the bullpen, and even being taped to a pole by his teammates as a prank. An author's note fills in the baseball blanks, including statistics from Pedro's career; there is also an extensive bibliography. robin l. smith (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Throughout his career Hall of Famer Pedro Martnez acknowledged his brother's encouragement as a major factor in his success. They grew up poor in the Dominican Republic, throwing rocks at mango trees and using makeshift equipment. When the Dodgers signed Ramn, Pedro tagged along to the practice camp, playing catch with his brother and getting noticed by the coaches. When he eventually played for the Dodgers, alongside his brother, it was a dream come true. After one very good season, he was traded to the Montreal Expos, where his prodigious skills make him a superstar. He went on to the Boston Red Sox, where he and Ramn were again teammates for two seasons. In 1999 the brothers both won games in the playoffs, causing dancing in the streets in the Dominican Republic. Tavares builds the story one incident at a time, employing the present tense in brief, poetic sentences. He describes the baseball action with enthusiasm but keeps the focus on Pedro's gregarious personality, his work ethic, his generosity and his special relationship with his brother. Watercolor, gouache and pencil illustrations depict the emotional fervor of the action. Oddly, the Red Sox's long-awaited World Series victory in 2004 and Pedro's dedication to improving conditions in his homeland are only mentioned in an author's note. A warm portrait of a modern baseball icon. (statistics, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
