Mickey Mantle: The Commerce Comet

Description

The ONLY nonfiction picture book about New York Yankee Mickey Mantle, one of the greatest baseball players of all time. From award-winning author Jonah Winter and #1 New York Times bestselling artist C. F. Payne comes this extraordinary picture-book biography that traces Mickey Mantle's unparalleled baseball career. He could run from home plate to first base in 2.9 seconds. He could hit a ball 540 feet-the longest home run in major league history. He was the greatest switch hitter ever to play the game. And he did it all despite broken bones, pulled muscles, strains, and sprains, from his shoulders to his feet. How did a poor country boy from Commerce, Oklahoma, become one of the greatest and most beloved baseball players of all time? This is the story.

Jonah Winter has written more than thirty highly acclaimed books for children, including Hillary, a picture-book biography of Hillary Rodham Clinton; Lillian's Right to Vote, which received four starred reviews; You Never Heard of Casey Stengel?!, which received three starred reviews; You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!, an ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book and a Booklist Top of the List; and You Never Heard of Willie Mays?!, a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book. Learn more at jonahwinter.com. C. F. Payne has illustrated more than a dozen picture books, including the New York Times bestselling Mousetronaut by astronaut Mark Kelly, the Texas Bluebonnet winner Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy, written by Phil Bildner, and the New York Times bestsellers The Remarkable Farkle McBride and Micawber, both by John Lithgow. He teaches at the Columbus College of Design. Payne lives with his wife and children in Lebanon, Ohio.Visit him online at CFPayne.com.

"This striking book deserves a wide audience." -School Library Journal, Starred Review "In an engagingly conversational narrative laced with baseball lingo, Winter (You Never Heard of Casey Stengel?!) vividly traces Mickey Mantle's trajectory from a small child with a bone disease to one of America's most beloved baseball players. " -Publishers Weekly, Starred Review Praise for Jonah Winter's You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!: "Hand this book to kids unconvinced by Koufax's mind-boggling numbers, or to the ones who know why they're so mind boggling to begin with." -Booklist, Starred "Not just a home run, this book is a grand slam." -Publishers Weekly, Starred "This striking book deserves a wide audience." -School Library Journal, Starred Praise for Jonah Winter's You Never Heard of Willie Mays?!: "Magnificent. Winter's heartfelt, accessible text is infused with immediacy and enthusiasm. Widener's lush, expressive paintings pull the reader right into the game." -The New York Times Book Review "Even adults who are indifferent to baseball will likely be so drawn into Mays's story and Winter's rousing text that they'll want to gather up a crowd just to read this one aloud." -The Bulletin, Starred "A must-have for baseball fans." -Publishers Weekly, Starred "An all-star gem to share with grandparents, parents, children, baseball fans and anyone else." -Kirkus Reviews, Starred "The Say Hey Kid had style to spare, and so does this irrepressible book." -Booklist, Starred Praise for Jonah Winter's You Never Heard of Casey Stengel?!: "An entertaining account of Stengel's career." -The Wall Street Journal "A first-rate picture book for baseball fans." -Booklist, Starred "Highly entertaining." -Publishers Weekly, Starred "This engaging title will have kids sprinting toward sports biographies to learn more about the many legendary players Stengel played ball with or managed." -School Library Journal, Starred