Tulip at the Bat

By J. Patrick Lewis

Celebrated children's poet J. Patrick Lewis takes Ernest Thayer's classic baseball poem Casey at the Bat and parodies it with signature wordplay and funny images to create a wonderful read aloud. Amiko Hirao's striking cut-paper art brings to life animals of all kinds, from octopi to hippopotami, as they take the field in the final game of the World Series.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316612804
• ISBN13: 9780316612807
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.3" x 0.8" x 10.3"
• Age Range: 3 to 6 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 1

Customer Reviews

Text Somewhat Uneven; Illustrations, a Home Run

I'm not sure if writer J. Patrick Lewis was going for a sort of free form style here, but poem in this animal baseball book is sometimes strained, distracting and detracting from a very attractively illustrated book. The following two lines, found on the second page, not only have unmatched meter, but a confusing structure and a pun/referent that most kids won't get: "Play ball! the umpire bellows. It's Jerome Jiraffe at first, Roars Will DeBeest up in the booth, skinnier than bratwurst." As in much of the book, the page is rescued by the Amiko Hirao's big, colorful picture. She's a superb illustrator I've admired ever since her inspired "All Aboard!" a wonderful book for both adults and kids. Here, she fits a huge girafe into an even huger, billowing uniform, focused, determined, and looking alittle like Ted Williams. THe infield also holds second basepig, Truffles Piglet, shortstop Peewee Rhesus Monkey, and Lance Porcupine at third. Very cute, but the pun and the language will go over kids' head like a blooper to center: "Lance Porcupine wears fifty fingered baseball gloves in case Opponents slide into his saber neighborhood, third base. "Saber neighborhood," nice touch, but it's gonna require a little explaining. Many scenes, however turn as well as a double play. There's an elephant and a rhino for example, playing around in the outfield, the rhino with an oversized, welcoming face; the elephant deftly catching snacks: "Amanda Elephant's in right, performing on one knee For bags of salted peanuts from the peanut gallery." After the animal/player introductions, we're brought back into a "Casey at the Bat" scenario: It's the bottom of the ninth, and the New York Pets are losing 1-0 to the rival Boston Beasts. There's lots of colorful characters in the stands (is that Gossie the Goose with the "Pets Rule" sign?") and on the field (perhaps the Pets' Coach O'Hare is the mysterious rabbit from "All Aboard"). The astute O'Hare brings in a pinch hitter: "So Coach O'Hare surveys the bench and nods to Lobster Pink, A batter who, when in a pinch, is redder than you think." "Redder than you think..." It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and, unfortunately, it distracts the punfully clever next line, "But Lobster cracks the bat, rips off her bib, and claws to first..." After Jerome strikes out, Amanda's up, and a pitch that "indents her dusty bottom" sends her to first. It comes down to the confident, muscular Tutu Tulip (the hippo on the book's cover), and, with "two on, two out," the excitement builds. There's a clever twist on the 'Casey' story as Tutu hits it hard and deep--but underground! The NY Pets get a ticker tape parade, while Lewis pays homage to the original Casey poem as he describes the losers' woe: "Oh, somewhere up in Boston crocodiles shed a tear, The crabs are even crabbier, the cows got some bum steer." At the service of a pun, another unfamiliar expression, and a second line that's too long. I know, perhaps I'm being