Betsy’s Day at the Game by Greg Bancroft

Betsy’s Day at the Game

Greg Bancroft, Author

Katherine Blackmore, Illustrator

Mighty Media Press, Fiction, 2013

Mom’s Choice Awards, 2013 Winner

Suitable for Ages: 6-10

Themes: Baseball, Keeping score, Intergenerational relationships, Family traditions

Opening:  “Elisabeth, Grandpa’s here,” Betsy’s mom called out.  A car pulled in to the driveway. Betsy came running with her Boo Bag.”

Synopsis: Betsy is going to a baseball game with her grandfather. She packs her baseball glove, score book, pencil and hat in her special bag.  Betsy puts on her cap and they head toward the city ballpark. They sit just behind home plate. Betsy is eager to work on her score keeping with her grandpa, who drills her and offers advice.  As the action begins, Betsy keeps track of the players, the foul balls, the strikes and the home runs.  When a batter hits a ball into the stands, Betsy grabs her glove and catches the grand slam home run ball.  She has a lot to share with her mother. But, her mother has a surprise to share with Betsy.

Why I like this book:

This is a heartwarming intergenerational story about a girl and her grandpa spending the day together at the ballpark.  What a perfect way to share family traditions about America’s favorite pastime — baseball.

Bancroft’s story celebrates everything there is to love about a baseball game — the sights, the smells, the sounds and the thrill of catching a ball in the stands.  Katherine Blackmore’s illustrations are warm, inviting, colorful and support the story. There are maps of the field with scorecard codes and separate squares detailing scoring information on the players.

The story focuses on teaching children how to keep score at a baseball game through the happy chitchat between Betsy and Grandpa.  The author provides fully illustrated scorecards at the end, which can be copied and used when a child watches a baseball game.

Resources:  Learning how to keep score is a great way for parents, grandparent and children to interact and have fun. The story itself will teach parents (if you don’t know) and children about keeping score.  Take your child to a local baseball game for a fun family outing and work together to fill out the scorecards. This is a great way to make family memories.  Click here for a free downloadable Educator’s Activity Guide.