Anybody's Game
Kathryn Johnston, the First Girl to Play Little League Baseball
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
The Best Children's Books of the Year 2019, Bank Street College
In 1950, girls didn't play baseball––until Kathryn Johnston changed Little League.
In 1950, Kathryn Johnston wanted to play Little League baseball, but an unwritten "rule" kept girls from trying out. So she cut off her hair and tried out as a boy under the nickname "Tubby." She made the team—and changed Little League forever. This is a story about wanting to do something so badly, you're willing to break the rules, and how breaking those rules can lead to change.
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As a child in 1950, Kathryn Johnston plays baseball alongside the boys in her neighborhood. But when it comes to playing on a Little League team, no girls are allowed. Johnston is pugnacious both on and off the field, as she dives for a grounder, slides into base, and angrily laments having to watch the games from the sidelines. Readers will admire her grit and determination particularly when she demands that her mother cut off her long braids so she can try out for Little League "as a boy." Puglesi's cartoons have the appearance of vintage dolls, with exaggerated, marblelike eyes that somewhat limit their range of expression. A final spread depicts Johnston throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium in 2006, while an author's note featuring photographs and additional background provides added historical context. Ages 5 7.
