Waiting on Wednesday: Singled Out: the True Story of Glenn Burke by Andrew Maraniss

Image: Penguin Random House

Singled Out: the True Story of Glenn Burke by Andrew Maraniss. 320 p. Philomel Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group, March 2, 2021. 9780593116722.

Waiting on Wednesday features Singled Out: the True Story of Glenn Burke by Andrew Maraniss. Here's the publisher's synopsis: "On October 2nd, 1977, Glenn Burke, outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, made history without even swinging a bat. When his teammate Dusty Baker hit a historic home run, Glenn enthusiastically congratulated him with the first ever high five. But Glenn also made history in another way—he was the first openly gay MLB player. While he did not come out publicly until after his playing days were over, Glenn's sexuality was known to his teammates, family, and friends. His MLB career would be cut short after only three years, but his legacy and impact on the athletic and LGBTQIA+ community would resonate for years to come. 

New York Times bestselling author Andrew Maraniss tells the story of Glenn Burke: from his childhood growing up in Oakland, his journey to the MLB and the World Series, the joy in discovering who he really was, to more difficult times: facing injury, addiction, and the AIDS epidemic.

Packed with black-and-white photographs and thoroughly researched, never-before-seen details about Glenn's life, Singled Out is the fascinating story of a trailblazer in sports—and the history and culture that shaped the world around him."

Until I read High Five for Glenn Burke, I had never heard of Glenn Burke. Now, I have a biography to look forward to reading! I always learn so much from children's literature! Singled Out releases on March 2.

Middle Grade Monday: A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner

Image: Macmillan Publishers

A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner. 288 p. Farrar Straus Giroux (BYR)/ Macmillan Publishers, February, 2020. 9780374312732. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Sixth grader Silas Wade lives for baseball. He's devoted to his Little League team and hustles in both practice and games. He loves to crack jokes and make his teammates laugh. He's also a devoted student of the sport-the psychology, the strategy and the history. When researching Glenn Burke for an oral report, Silas learns more than the fact that Burke was the inventor of the high five. He learns that Burke was gay. This is earth-moving for Silas, who is coming to realize his own identity. He's thrilled to be sharing his enthusiasm for Burke and his invention, but also terrified that his teammates and classmates will connect the dots. 

He comes out to his best friend, Zoey, and swears her to secrecy. This puts a bit of a strain on their friendship, but then he betrays her, rightfully earning her wrath. His lie explodes in his face and, as the pressure builds, his baseball suffers. 

Phil Bildner nailed it with this engaging novel. In High Five for Glenn Burke, we have a narrator who is endearing as well as irritating. His energy just crackles off the page and that can be a bit exhausting. We all know kids like this.

We also have superb baseball - history, as well as the mechanics of practice and games. We have a stressed out family that is doing their best. We have a best friendship that has hit the skids. Most of all, we have an author who skillfully combined these ingredients to realistically portray an adolescent's coming out in all its messy glory. Highly recommended!

#tbt: We Are the Ship: The story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson

Image: LBYR

We are the Ship: The story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson. 96 p. Jump at the Sun/ Hyperion, January, 2008. 978078680328. (Own.)

#tbt features We are the Ship: The story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson. February marked the 100th anniversary of the formation of Negro League Baseball and there's no better way to learn about the many incredible athletes who played hard for pennies and endured racism on the road just for the love of the game. This masterful work was Nelson's author debut. He had illustrated around seventeen picture books prior to the publication of We are the Ship, which won the Sibert Medal as well as two medals from the Coretta Scott King committee - both the Author and Illustrator awards. 

This gorgeously designed, oversized volume has heft. Using a fictionalized narrator, Nelson tells the story of the league from the 1920s until 1947, when Jackie Robinson left it to join Major League Baseball. Click here for a short clip of Mr. Nelson talking about the book. Click here to view a short clip of him reading a chapter of the book. 

This past January, he finally received the Caldecott Medal. The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander won Alexander a Newbery Honor and Mr. Nelson the Medal as well as a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. He had previously won two Caldecott Honors. Sadly, the Youth Media Awards Banquet has been cancelled as were celebrations around the centennial of Negro League Baseball. Click here to view a CBS This Morning segment on him and view the painting this pandemic inspired.