Becoming Joe DiMaggio

By Maria Testa

Book Overview

Spare, simple poems tell a boy's moving story in this short novel about baseball, family, and the American dream. It's 1936, and the Yankees have just hired a star center fielder whose name sounds like music. What could be a better time for Papa-Angelo's grandson to be born? Christened after the legendary ballplayer, young Joseph Paul learns much at his Italian grandfather's knee - about holding your breath in front of the radio during a 3-2 count with the bases loaded and having the audacity to dream big dreams. After all, the boy's ne'er-do-well father is out of the picture, and it is Papa-Angelo's job to teach his grandson what it means to be a hero. In a poignant novel told in verse, Maria Testa paints a picture of a timeless bond between a grandson and his immigrant grandfather - and of finding his own place in a brave new world.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763615374
• ISBN13: 9780763615376
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Candlewick
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.4" x 5.3"
• Age Range: 10 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 5 to 9

Customer Reviews

Family, dreams and finding your way -- a home run!

I picked up Becoming Joe DiMaggio out of curiosity when researching some young adult literature for a class I was taking, and just fell in love with it. With an economy of words, Maria Testa paints a portrait of a boy, his grandfather, and the iconic baseball player that had a generation cheering. This would be a wonderful basis for classroom discussions/writing assignments on dreams, family, how poetry can evoke emotions with so few words. It can even be used to tie in math (baseball statistics, prompted by the poem "The Streak"), social studies (World War II), and even moral issues (the bombing of Hiroshima, domestic abuse). I recommend this highly for any student or teacher from fourth through 8th grade, and possibly even into high school.

A not-to-be-missed diamond

With a spare, beautiful text, Testa creates poignant characters and a passionate story. Every word counts here. "Becoming Joe DiMaggio" is a story for all generations. This book would be a lovely, thoughtful gift for all ages.