About this Blog

Trading Jeff and his Dog by Jim Kjelgaard

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:00:32 -0500

Kjelgaard, Jim. Trading Jeff and his dog. 1956. Personal library.

Jeff Tarrant is an itinerant peddler who, finding a dog along his travels decides to make a home in the Appalachian mountains.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read this one. Very enjoyable, as all of Jim Kjelgaard’s books are. Makes me want to read another one of his books.

Little League Ball Hawk by Don Creighton

Sat, 7 Mar 2026 15:45:29 -0600

Creighton, Don. Little League Ball Hawk. 1968. Personal library.

Anyway, he's a good dog." was about all Rob McDevitt could allow himself to say after Colley climaxed a series of minor offenses with a really grave one—interrupting a Little League ball game.
Colley had lived with the McDevitts since he was a pup, and his faithful devotion made Rob stand up for him many times when the lovable dog's mischief caused discord in the family. Colley earned his name through one of his most distressing habits—collecting things. He brought home everything from sandwiches to balls until Rob patiently trained him to leave others' belongings alone.
Rob thought Colley had been cured of collecting until the Wildcats, Rob's baseball team, began losing balls in large numbers. It was Rob's first year in Little League. Besides establishing himself, he had to clear Colley's name when his dog was accused of being responsible for the missing balls.
These are the elements combining to make a truly exciting and heart-warming sports story. Rob's Little League career is very important to him, and the vivid descriptions of baseball action will interest boys and girls alike. Rob's relationship with Colley shows both the trials and the mutual affection which can develop through the closeness of boy and dog. The search for the missing balls is a realistic intrigue and will capture and hold the reader's interest throughout this compelling story.

Another fun little league story for kids centering around a boy with a lovable dog who causes trouble for him on game days.

Player-Manager by Robert Sydney Bowen

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 17:26:20 -0600

Bowen, Robert Sidney. Player-Manager. 1949. Personal library.

CHUCK LACEY was completing his third year in big-league baseball. Fans and sports writers alike compared the boy wonder with Mel Ott and Bob Feller. He seemed destined for a long and prosperous career. Then the accident occurred-so serious that everyone agreed that Chuck's ball-playing days were over.

Another juvenile baseball story, this time not Little League but big-league players. Can Chuck Lacey make the transition from a great player to a great manager?

Little League Giant by Don Creighton

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:42:29 -0600

Creighton, Don. Little League Giant. 1965. Personal library.

Back in Dover Falls everybody was accustomed to Chris Sorensen's size. Five-feet-eleven was rather an unusual height for a boy not quite thirteen; but his friends considered that his size belonged to him, like his bright blue eyes and his flashing smile. As far as they were concerned, that was the way Chris was meant to be.
Chris Sorensen, now a new student in Millbrook, was trying out for a place in the starting lineup of Little League.
"Yes, sir! A real bonanza for the Bears," remarked the manager.
This was what Chris had overheard at the tryouts. A bonanza—he had heard that word before. As soon as he got home, he looked the word up. "A rich vein ore. Hence, a source of great profit."
"Pretty nice, being called some sort of treasure," his father remarked.
However, Chris tried out at various places, first as pitcher and then as catcher as was finally sent to the right field.
Right field! That was where a manager put his worst player, thought Chris. Then echoing in his ear as he joined the other boys was the manager's final comment: "Oh, what a boy! Instead of a bonanza maybe we've got a white elephant."
Chris Sorensen was now very unsure about his being a treasure. In fact, he was unsure about most things that happened to him.
Then one day when the game was not going well, Manager Snedecker took Chris off the bench and sent him to play first base. Chris looked frightened for a moment.
"Yes, sir! First is where you belong. Let's get to work." And it was amazing how true Mr. Snedecker's words turned out to be.
Although the victories for the Bears were impressive, Chris never seemed willing to acknowledge that he was partly responsible for these victories. His loneliness never gave way to happiness. He trusted no one completely—and made no friends.
Then one day the Bears met the Wildcats. If anything could have made Chris feel more conspicuous than usual, it was the Wildcats' tiny catcher—Hobie Timmons. Although Hobie played a sneaky trick on Chris during the first inning, after the game he gave Chris his first real welcome.
Having a friend made all the difference—especially when the friend was a great kid like Hobie. To be so small, and yet play baseball the way Hobie did, made a kid something special. However, Chris learned that a small boy had his problems, too.
Little League Giant is the exciting story of how Chris Sorensen overcame his problems of loneliness and frustrations and emerged a star player for the Bears.
The inevitable victory of the championship game played by the Bears against the invincible Bridgeton State Champions will thrill all readers.

Don Creighton wrote four Little League books in the Steck-Vaughn Sports Series, starting with this one in 1965. Chris Sorenson is new to Millbrook, and at 5'11" and only 12 years old, he struggles to get comfortable with himself and his size.

My Name Is Amelia by Donald J. Sobol

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:16:21 -0600

Sobol, Donald J. My Name Is Amelia. 1994. Archive.org.

While sailing a sloop to St. Thomas, sixteen-year-old Lisa Maddock is knocked overboard and finds herself on an unknown island where she meets ten-year-old Amelia Earhart who has been snatched from the past as part of a fantastic experiment.

This was a story I was not expecting from the author of Secret Agents Four and creator of Encyclopedia Brown. Strange sci-fi story of a girl who falls overboard in the Atlantic ocean and finds a hidden island.

The Secret Little Leaguer by Don Creighton

Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:36:52 -0600

Creighton, Don. Secret Little Leaguer, The. 1966. Personal library.

Eleven-year-old Charley Baker shook his head. *I'm not trying out. My parents don't believe in baseball."
Charley's dark hair fell over his forehead. His green eyes looked longingly at the application to sign for Little League tryouts. Butch's blue eyes popped with astonishment.
"But you've got to! I've already told the manager you would. Where have your folks been all their lives?"
"It's pretty hard to explain. Seems like they think nothing is important but brains."
However, Charley stuck the application form in one of his books as he went away.
From that day on, Charley Baker kept his school activities a secret from his family (or so he thought). Charley understood that he was not the most studious one in his family. His report card proved that point. But Little League baseball gave him the outlet which he needed to become an individual. His private little hiding place for his glove and uniform was a tree house, where he spent many hours.
As Charley developed self-confidence in his playing, his place on the Tiger team proved to be an asset to the Millbrook Little League. The Wildcats, Lions, Stags, and other opposing teams learned Charley Baker was no pushover.
Charley was never so happy in his whole life; however, keeping things a secret from his family worried him some. Soon, various members of his family began to learn of his secret. But each one, in turn, faithfully that kept the information to himself.
Then one day Charley discovered that his mother knew how to figure batting averages, and that she even liked baseball! Charley's greatest surprise came when he learned that his father had known all along that he was a Little Leaguer-and that he was proud that Charley had done something on his own.
Boys and girls alike will enjoy the games and intrigue described in The Secret Little Leaguer. In addition to a lively Little League tale, the author effectively establishes an appealing story of closely knit family life.

11-year-old Charley has a secret, he plays baseball!
This is an entertaining and instructive juvenile baseball story about Charley keeping it a secret that he has joined Little League, thinking that his family discourages athletics and only cares for scholastic achievement.

The Lemonade Trick by Scott Corbett

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 20:27:25 -0500

Corbett, Scott. Lemonade Trick, The. 1960. Archive.org.

Was it really magic? When a mysterious old lady gave Kerby the magic chemistry set, strange things began to happen. One sip from a special vial and Kerby felt terribly good, frighteningly good. In fact, Kerby felt so good that he couldn't keep himself from mowing the lawn, cleaning the cellar, the garage, and all manner of good deeds.

Not only Kerby was affected by the magic of the little vial. It was irresistible to anyone who smelled it. Even Waldo, his dog, was compelled to fill in the holes he dug and be polite to the neighbor's cat. And when Kerby added the mystery liquid to a pitcher of lemonade, the result was sensational. The town bully turned angelic, the Sunday school pageant became a riot, and the effects of the lemonade trick on the nicest boy in town were even more astounding.

I enjoyed reading a Scott Corbett book so much I had the urge to read another one. I decided on the first of the Kerby “Trick” series of books that he wrote. This series is what first made me aware of Scott Corbett and made him my favorite author.