Reviews   Leave a comment

Rachel‘s review
Apr 08, 11
4 of 5 stars
Read in April, 2011
This is a heartwarming story of a father’s love for hiEdits son and the success that can be achieved with the support and encouragement of others. I was lucky to win a copy of this book and decided to read it with a couple of my students and get feedback from them as we read. As a huge baseball fan, and a Red Sox one at that, I enjoyed the entwining of the curse with the story of Dusty and his father, as I could definitely relate to the fan frustrations! Before sharing it with my students, I was a little worried that my students would have trouble with this read because they do not have a lot of background knowledge of baseball but they really embraced the story and took a lot from it. I was able to use their lack of background knowledge as a teaching tool for unfamiliar vocabulary (context clues). My students loved the relationship between Dusty and his father and were able to make a lot of connections to their own lives, discussing times when they felt like giving up but someone encouraged them to keep going. Each year, I challenge my students to set realistic goals and to encourage one another. This is an excellent example of what can happen when you have someone that truly believes in you and encourages you every step of the way. I will definitely be sharing it with future classes as a great example of what happens when you work hard, encourage yourself and others, and don’t give up.
Amanda‘s review

Mar 21, 11
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Amanda by: Good Reads 1st Read Giveaway
Recommended for: Boys age 8-12
Read on March 21, 2011
Tales of a Baseball Dream was a heartwarming tale of a young boy striving to be the best baseball player he can be with the help of his dad. Dusty Hunter is just average in size and strength, but his dedication, hard work, and determination help make him a baseball star. Dusty’s story is interwoven with the story of Bubba “The Brute” Brugosee, the “greatest baseball hero that ever lived” and the curse that he placed on the team that traded him away.
This story was well written and enjoyable. The characters are believable and portray a strong sense of responsibility, and determination. I received this book through the Goodreads First Read Giveaway, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I have also had some of my students read the book, and they cannot put it down.
Feb 20, 2011
Aimee rated it 4 of 5 stars
Dusty Hunter has loved baseball all his life and he’s worked hard to be the best he can be. With the help of his dad, he has spent countless hours batting and catching. Don’t let Dusty’s small stature fool you because his big heart and determination more than make up for it.
Entwined throughout the story of Dusty is another story of baseball great “Bubba ‘the Brute’ Brugosee”. These two stories make up an inspiring “Tale of a Baseball Dream”.
I love baseball. It’s in my blood. Even sitting here now I can hear the crack of the bat and feel the crowds in the stadium all around me. Peanuts and hot dogs, warm summer days. Take me out to the ballgame! This book was exactly what it proclaims to be; a sweet and inspiring tale of a baseball dream. It could be the dream of any young boy starting out in tee ball and little league baseball. I enjoyed reading this book. It left me with a smile on my face and that is a very good thing. This book is recommended for ages 8-12 and I completely agree. My sincere thanks to Jerry Pearlman for sending me this book to read and review.

Tami  review

May 07, 11

4 of 5 stars

Read in May, 2011
I really liked this inspirational, yes you can story. I think it is a must read for any inspiring ball player, or anyone who feels that the odds are stacked against them. I love how the story was told through the father’s eyes…it really grounded the story with love and human emotions. Thank you Jerry Pearlman for creating such a touching and inspiring tale of the never giving up and self determination.
Juan‘s review

Mar 24, 11
4 of 5 stars
Read from March 22 to 24, 2011 — I own a copy
This is a short story that is suggested for young readers, so I approached it letting my inner child take control of the reading experience.
I’m not a big fan of baseball, I actually don’t like it that much, but I do enjoy stories of people fighting for what they love, and this is the heart of this book. There’s a lot of charm in the relationship of Dusty with his father, who is not portrayed as being perfect but it does his best to support his son and believes in him, even through disappointment and hardship. In essence, both father and son put all their effort and hard work in that what they love, that is not only baseball, but each other.
There’s a touch of magic that I have always like in stories since I was a kid, and here it appears adding a touch of humanity and humour to this book.
It’s an easy reading, even as kid I would have think of it as an easy book to read, but sometimes, that’s all that is needed to enjoy a story.
Marie‘s review

Mar 29, 11
4 of 5 stars

bookshelves: first-reads

Read on March 29, 2011
I won Tale of A Baseball Dream as a first-read winner! To my delight, it’s a charming story about a dad and his boy’s dream to play baseball. It’s a great story for children to learn that if you try your hardest and perserver against difficult times your dreams can come true. I look forward to sharing this story with others.
Jacque rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommends it for: Any young person
I enjoyed this book. It was very inspirational for me. I loved the way that baseball and baseball superstitions were used to make points in this book. I also found the death of the father to be a very important aspect of this book. I know that death of a close family member can cause a lot of pain and problems for teens and also younger children.
I will be keeping this book for my son. He is 5 years old now and I think this book may help him as he gets older. I know that there is a lot of stuff that he will need to work through as he gets older including adapting to his ADHD. Since this book was an inspiration to me, I think that it could also help him.
This was a very interesting and easy to read book.
Sabrina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads
This book is a short, simple read recommended for readers 8-12 years old. The subject matter is around baseball but the theme extends to everyday life. This book is a great example of how one should never give up on their dreams.
Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars
An inspiring story of a young boy and his dream to become an amazing baseball player. Its a great positive story about following your dreams, even when your world is turned upside down.
What a great story for young boys to follow their dream!!
Shana‘s review

Apr 16, 11
5 of 5 stars

bookshelves: first-reads

Read from April 01 to 03, 2011
I won this book on goodreads and I enjoyed it a lot. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys baseball either young and old. I loved how the story started and I loved how it ended. It was a great book to read.
Alex‘s review

Mar 19, 11
5 of 5 stars
bookshelves: adventurefirst-reads
Read on March 20, 2011
Thanks to goodreads and Jerry Pearlman, I won this book through the first-reads program.
What a great book! For baseball loving kids in particular! I really enjoyed it and my age is more than triple the recommended reading age!
An uplifting story of a father who puts in all his time to make his son the best and to believe in himself. This is a book that fathers and sons can read and enjoy together and a book that might encourage and inspire young boys who don’t normally read to read.
Look forward to reading it again with my own sons!
Mindy/fangedmom‘s review

Feb 04, 11
5 of 5 stars
Read in January, 2011
Joshua’s Review (my 6 yr old son):
“That WAS the best baseball story ever” Joshua’s exact words when we finished the book.
I am like Dusty because I love to play baseball with my mom, dad & my sister. I would love to have a best friend like Randy. I have mixed feelings about “The Brute”. I feel that “The Brute” was mean but also was hurt & that is why he was mean. This does not make it right though.
I loved Dusty’s character and the relationship he had with his daddy. It is sad that Dusty had to go through what he did to find out who he really was (paraphrased by Mom to help with no spoilers). I took it on the bus and read it a lot. Tonight I finished it with my mom. We read it together. I think all moms and dads should read this book to\with their kids, boys and girls both.
I feel that this book was cool, weird, shocking, a little freaky & awesome. I give this book a 10 (even though mommy said I could only go up to a 5)
Morgan’s review (my 11 yr old daughter):
I have a few words: “THAT BOOK WAS AMAZING”! (Morgan’s exact words at the end of the book)
This book did a very good job of describing Dusty’s enthusiasm of baseball & life. This was a very inspiring book. I am not a big fan of baseball but my mom & brother got me very curious as they loved this book. I am so glad I read it. You do not have to be a baseball fan or a boy to enjoy this book. There is a wonderful lesson in this story. This was a quick read for me and I was left with a very happy feeling when I was done.
Range of emotions: happy, sad, touched, inspired and a little creeped out.
I, too, give this book a 10 even though mommy only said I could go to a 5
My Review: This book is a very quick read but once I started to read, I did not stop until the end. I really truly enjoyed it and think that anyone that has ever loved baseball will enjoy it, no matter what your age. The target age is 8-12 but I think that early readers should be encouraged to read this also, either out loud to a listener or a read along with someone.
Dusty’s life journey is so turbulent. Every little boy’s dream..playing baseball with this dad. I fell in love with Dusty at all stages of his life. This book is a wonderful example of never giving up no matter what life throws at you. I also think that this story is a great example of how everything in life happens for a reason. (One of my personal all time favorite lessons of life). The ups & downs that Dusty go through are so typical of everyday life. We all have that dream that we never knew we had and did not realize we even wanted it until it happens. This is a feel good story with a slight supernatural twist. Amazingly surprising & so very fun! As with most sport’s players, superstitions are a well known tradition. The play on this one makes a great story.
The Great Brutester had a huge role in this book. He was the good guy & bad guy all at once. His story is a true testiment of being careful of the bridges you burn in life (or whose bridge you burn for that matter). :)
My 6 year old son Joshua actually stole this book from me. He sat down & managed to read almost all the way to chapter 3 without stopping. He fell asleep with the book beside his pillow. The target age is 9-12 on this book but I honestly think this book can appear to all ages & should be shared. There are some aspects & words that Joshua has problems with but he reads out loud to me so we can address them as he gets to them. He loves this book.
This is my review from our blog WWW.bookscompleteme.com

A Reader Reviews–”Tale of a Baseball Dream, ‘World’s Greatest Baseball Story’”

June 8, 2011 by Michele

A Reader Reviews—Tale of a Baseball Dream, “World’s Greatest Baseball Story”

I’m mixing things up today—I usually review adult books on Wednesdays and children’s books on Thursdays.  I’m pleased to say that I’m part of Novel Publicity’s www.novelpublicity.com blog tour for Michelle I. Brooks’s Bone Dressing tomorrow.  Stop by for that review, you’ll want to read it!

Now on to Tale of a Baseball Dream, today’s children’s book review. 

Jerry Pearlman’s debut chapter book for kids ages eight through twelve tells the story of Dusty Hunter and his great love for baseball, beginning when Dusty is approximately eight years old himself.

The book is told in first person from the perspective of Dusty’s dad.  I was touched by that viewpoint.  Dad teaches, encourages, and sweetly shows his love for his son, behaviors and emotions not always portrayed in today’s media.

All Dusty wants to do is play baseball, day and night.  Dad is there with him, teaching him skills and strategies, always encouraging Dusty to practice, practice, practice.  This encouragement is the underlying message of the book—when you have a dream, work hard and you can achieve it.  It’s a great message to kids, whatever their dreams are.

In the background, but an integral part of the story, is the account of a baseball player from long ago.  “The Brute”, as he was called, believed he had been mistreated by the fictional New Jersey team for which he had played for many years.  Angrily, he put a curse on the New Jersey team, which followed them for decades.

Pearlman continues the Brute’s story from heaven after the Brute dies.  I think kids will enjoy the way Pearlman portrays heaven, the Brute, and the Brute’s friends.  It’s not a typical portrayal of the afterlife; kids will get a kick out of Brute’s life in heaven.

As Dusty grows older, he continues his deep devotion to the game.  He plays Little League, Pony League, and moves on to high school ball.  Along the way, Dusty meets with various levels of success, but his dream never dies.

When Dusty is in his late teens, his dream and the Brute’s anger come together in a spectacular way.  It’s not a surprising way, but one that is nonetheless not completely predictable as kids read through the book.

Kids interested in baseball may get the most enjoyment out of this book.  Pearlman doesn’t overdo it, but there are more than passing references to specifics of the game.  I’m a baseball fan from way back, particularly the Pittsburgh Pirates.  I enjoyed the details of the game, but kids who don’t know that much about baseball won’t be confused enough to give up on the book.

The story is fundamentally about working hard to achieve your dreams. In Dusty’s case, baseball is his ticket to success, but kids who want to succeed in school, music, or any other endeavor will easily understand that message.

The book holds personal meaning for me.  As a youngster, my son was as enthralled with baseball as Dusty is, and he worked just as hard at it.  As he grew older, my son stopped playing baseball, but he channeled that passion and hard work ethic into his career choice.  He worked as though he had blinders on and made many sacrifices to realize his dream.  I can feel for Dusty’s dad as he sees his son achieve what he works so hard for.

Pearlman writes a book that is easy for kids to read.  The chapters are short; they do not leave kids hanging and they lead smoothly into the next chapter.

Parents will be happy that the book is interesting enough to entertain their child, and gives them a life lesson that will serve them well.

Batter up!

Tale of a Baseball Dream, “World’s Greatest Baseball Story”

Copyright 2009 by Jerry Pearlman

Produced by Family First Productions, Inc.

Chris  rated it 4 of 5 stars
Tale of a Baseball Dream is not only a wonderful story about a father and son’s mutual love of baseball, but is also the story of how a father’s belief in his son can live on long after his passing.
I think this book will be enjoyed especially by boys in the 8-12 age range. Fathers and sons can enjoy this book together and also be able to engage in some excellent conversations based on some of the themes in the story. Younger boys will enjoy this story as well, and dads can get an excellent opportunity to bond as they read-aloud together with their son. This is also an excellent book for reluctant readers. It is fast-paced and young readers will be able to relate to Dusty’s dreams of becoming a great baseball player. If you’re into baseball history, you may realize some parallels as well with the characters and teams. I won’t spoil the fun though. You’ll have to step up to the plate and give this one a read for yourself.
http://bookdads.com/book-review/book-rev…

Tale of A Baseball Dream is published by Family First Productions, Inc.

“We Bring Families Together!”

Please Note:  Family First Productions, Inc. recommends that a parent or guardian read all material prior to a child reading the material, to assure that it is appropriate for that individual child!   Please monitor your children’s internet activity!

Posted July 13, 2011 by taleofabaseballdream

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s

%d bloggers like this: