Review by Booklist Review
Inspired by a true story, Robinson tells the tale of a young boy who was able to befriend his hero (and the author's father), Jackie Robinson. Steve Satlow is a huge Dodgers fan, so he is thrilled when he hears the news that a player will be moving in two doors down. He hopes that it's his favorite player, Jackie Robinson, and that maybe he can catch a glimpse of him. Steve gets more than he expected when Jackie befriends Steve and his family. While told in a simplistic storytelling style, this charming tale offers up good fodder for discussion about prejudice, discrimination, friendship, and family. Steve's friendship with Jackie gives readers a glimpse into the personal side of this famous baseball hero. A nice choice for libraries looking to expand their sports collection. Be sure to have additional titles about Jackie Robinson on hand as readers are sure to want to learn more.--Thompson, Sarah Bean Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Robinson takes a fictional approach to the subject of her famous father, Jackie Robinson. It unfolds in the voice of Steve Satlow, who was eight when the Robinsons moved onto his predominately Jewish street in Brooklyn in 1948 (Steve and his family also featured prominently in Robinson's 2010 picture book, Jackie's Gift). The story is relayed in flashback, triggered by 20-year-old Steve's discovery of a ticket stub from the '48 Brooklyn Dodgers' home opener in a box of "boyhood treasures" that his recently deceased father left him. Steve's impatience to meet his baseball idol and new neighbor (which finally takes place more than a third of the way in) grows repetitive, but the story's energy builds once Robinson is in the picture. Segues into political and humanitarian issues can get heavy-handed ("Prejudice," Steve's father explains, "is when you judge a person based on the color of their skin and not by their character"), but play-by-play baseball action will hold fans' attention, and Steve's struggle to curb his impulsiveness and fit in with his peers will register with many. Ages 8-12. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-In 1948, when eight-year-old Steve learns that his African American baseball hero Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in the sport the previous year, will be the new next-door neighbor in his all-Jewish Brooklyn neighborhood, he gains knowledge about respect, friendship, and unity. © Copyright 2016. 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
Robinson has rich material to plumb in her story of the friendship between her African American father, Jackie, and the Jewish, hero-worshiping eight-year-old who lived two doors away in 1948 Brooklyn. Unfortunately, her writing about the moments of high emotion attendant to such a relationship is interspersed with awkward speeches about discrimination, prejudice, perseverance, and the like. A strong premise, hampered by earnestness. (c) Copyright 2016. 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
Brooklyn Dodgers fan Steve's life is changed when Jackie Robinson and his family move into his Jewish neighborhood in 1948. This is a true storyparts of it, anyway. The author is Robinson's daughter, and the main character was her family's neighbor in real life. Stephen Satlow was a baseball fan, and he lived two doors down from his hero. The author has changed some details (one character is a composite), but readers may find themselves hoping every word is accurate. The Jackie Robinson in the book seems just as kind and thoughtful as the real Jackie sounded in interviews and news stories. When 8-year-old narrator Steve is having a rough time at school, Jackie walks over to the school softball game and teaches the whole team about stealing bases. There isn't much conflict here. The story is just as down-to-earth and remarkable as the actual baseball star, and it would feel mean-spirited to wish any more drama on these two genuinely endearing people. Absent drama to drive the plot, the book's main fault is that it doesn't make enough of the magical everyday moments. A scene of Jackie and Steve playing stoopball could have lasted pages longer. Jackie's son, Jackie Junior, is hardly a character here, another missed opportunity. The book doesn't dwell long enough on the smallest moments, but each of them feels like meeting the baseball legendand maybe, sometimes, even better than the real thing. (historical note, photos) (Historical fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
