Review: The Kid from Diamond Street

WOW!   Did you know there used to be professional FEMALE ball teams?   And that one of those teams travelled to Japan?  Mostly playing against male teams and doing well?!!?!

Can you imagine being 10 years old and playing professional minor league baseball?

That is what Edith Houghton did... using a safety pin to tighten her cap, and using a knife to make holes in her belt to hold her pants up. :)

She was by all accounts a wonderful player, playing first for the Bobbies and then for other teams, she became the first woman scout.

This neat book "The Kid from Diamond Street" tells Edith's story from her first job through to her trip to Japan, playing baseball.   The Philadelphia Bobbies were so named because all the players wore their hair cut in a bob.

This is an informative and interesting book.   I had never thought there would be professional minor league baseball teams, much less one that would have been invited to Japan.   Add to that a 10 year playing on the team?   WOW!

The illustrations by Steven Salerno bring the story to life, you can just see Edith running after that ball with full determination.  The funny fit of her uniform, baseball practice on an ocean line and the fun they had in Japan.   Edith said "We were knocking balls out to sea."

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and learning about the determination of a young lady playing a game that she absolutely loved.   She was by all accounts very good at her job.   She played a rough, and tough game, the kind of game you would expect a girl to play when she grew up playing ball with a bunch of boys.  

I would whole heartedly recommend this book.. particularly if you have girls that are sports oriented.   Showing them just what a determined girl can do.   Playing against the boys, becoming a scout when women just didn't DO that kind of thing, and travelling to Japan when you are 13 years old.   Big stuff!  Important for girls to see and understand.  But then again...it's good for boys too you know... to let them see the girls are ALL THAT as well.  :)  

Get it for your children.  Read it with them.  Enjoy a good book.

  I found this neat video on YouTube about Edith Houghton.



Author: Audrey Vernick
Illustrator: Steven Salerno
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Age: 4-7 years old
9.25 x 10.5
40 pages
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2 comments

  1. Lori1:23 pm

    Our library has a different title by this author on a female ball player but not this one. Maybe I can find it a different place because these types of biographies are so much fun to read.

    Have you ever seen A League of Their Own? Its a movie about female pro-ball players while men were away at war. It is fun but does have some language in it.

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    1. Annette2:47 pm

      I will have to see what other titles are out thereby the author. This one I liked though. I have heard of it, can't recall if I have read it.

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