Editorial Review

Vivid cartoon illustrations and a simple narrative make this entry in the Legendary Lives series (6 titles) a solid introduction to the life of Roberto Clemente. It traces his baseball beginnings as a child in Puerto Rico, using a tree branch for a bat, through his career in the U.S. in the Major Leagues.

While the narrative itself doesn’t go into too much detail about his life, the character of Blastoff Jimmy adds important context to certain events. For example, reporters interviewing Roberto often made racist remarks and mocked his Roberto’s accent, and Blastoff Jimmy adds that Roberto was repeatedly called “Bob” or “Bobby” by reporters because “these names sounded more American to them.”

Budding baseball enthusiasts and researchers will enjoy this approachable biography, which concludes with a profile and a guide to further resources.