(2) K-3 Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Although the book offers a factual recounting of the Apollo 14 moon landing, its true focus is astronaut Alan Shepard Jr.'s personal experiment to find out how far a golf ball can travel on the low-gravity, atmosphere-less surface of the moon. The book starts with a wink as Shepard surreptitiously sneaks a sockful of golf balls into the pocket of his space suit, then goes on to describe the spaceship's aim and the experiments that were planned for the third crewed moon-mission. And then comes the moment when, on live television, Shepard unexpectedly twists a metal golf club head onto the end of his rock scoop, pulls out several golf balls, and takes a few swings. Kelly's well-researched retelling of this unusual story also does a little fact-checking on Shepard, who didn't hit the ball quite as far as he believed but nevertheless became the "first human to play a sport on the Moon." Fotheringham's (illustrator of Most Wanted, rev. 5/20) digital art uses a limited color palette that gives the story a vintage feel. Extensive back matter includes an overview of all the Apollo missions, additional information on Shepard and his golf experiment, and a bibliography.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone: MVP series. Illustrated by Scott Brundage. A diverse group of Franklin Elementary students--Max, Alice, Nico, and twins Luke and Kat--works to uncover who's trying to sabotage the school's Olympic-style field day while also participating in the competitions. Action-filled chapters and plentiful black-and-white illustrations support beginning readers. Facts about the Olympics are included at book's end. A lively start to the mystery/sports mash-up series.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. Cousins Mike and Kate are in Toronto, Ontario, investigating strange "ghost lights" in the Blue Jays' dugout. Taking advantage of their stadium access (Kate's mom is a sports journalist), the sleuths attempt to solve the mystery. There's not much character development, but this tenth installment will appeal to young baseball fans who have enjoyed the previous books.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Oliver Dominguez. Every baseball used in a Major League game is broken in by being rubbed with special mud harvested from a secret location--who knew? This fascinating account relates how former player and coach Blackburne found the special mud in the 1930s, realized its usefulness, and started a business from it. Dominguez's expressive paintings have the well-worn look of a broken-in baseball.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. When Kate's mother, a sports writer, takes Kate and cousin Mike to Wrigley Field in Chicago, they go behind the scenes and discover patches of the famous ivy have been torn away. Using their sleuthing skills, the children expose the culprit and learn about the Cubs' historic ballpark. Occasional black-and-white illustrations and endnotes about the park help make this insubstantial mystery enjoyable.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. Cousins Mike and Kate are at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City for the All-Star Game, where they meet Andy, son of a star catcher. But someone is pulling disruptive pranks--and framing Andy's dad for them. Facts about the ballpark's peculiarities are woven into the kids' sleuthing. It's fairly pedestrian stuff, but this lightweight mystery installment will appeal to young baseball junkies.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 1-3 Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. Lightweight mysteries for newly proficient readers, these titles feature boy and girl cousins who visit Major League ballparks uncovering malfeasance. The mysteries are wholly improbable, but the significant amount of baseball lore woven into the books makes them entertaining reads for sports fans. Review covers these Ballpark Mysteries titles: The Astro Outlaw and The L.A. Dodger.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone: Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Myers. These lightweight mysteries distinguish themselves by the amount of baseball trivia Kelly manages to insert--quite naturally--into the repartee between the boy and girl protagonists. Kate's mother is a sportswriter, giving her and the kids access to the inner reaches of Major League ballparks. Even if the solutions to the mysteries are glaringly obvious, the baseball lore makes for entertaining reading. Review covers these Stepping Stone: Ballpark Mysteries titles: The Fenway Foul-Up and The Pinstripe Ghost.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone: Ballpark Mysteries series. Illustrated by Mark Meyers. These lightweight mysteries distinguish themselves by the amount of baseball trivia Kelly manages to insert--quite naturally--into the repartee between the boy and girl protagonists. Kate's mother is a sportswriter, giving her and the kids access to the inner reaches of Major League ballparks. Even if the solutions to the mysteries are glaringly obvious, the baseball lore makes for entertaining reading. Review covers these Stepping Stone: Ballpark Mysteries titles: The Fenway Foul-Up and The Pinstripe Ghost.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Stepping Stone True Stories series. Illustrated by Tim Jessell. This unabashedly Red Sox-centric biography of Babe Ruth will hit all the right spots for fans of the formerly "cursed" franchise. It's written simply enough for younger elementary school students, while packing in a good amount of information and conveying the tension of championship games. The black-and-white illustrations are based on iconic photographs of Babe and the Sox.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin