"With ineffable tenderness and absolute clarity, Testa tells a tale in
blank verse. . . . Powerfully moving as it braids together baseball,
family, and the Italian-American experience." -- Booklist (starred
review)
It's 1936, and the Yankees have just hired a star center fielder whose
name sounds like music. What could be a better time for Papa-Angelo's
grandson to be born? Christened after the legendary ballplayer, young
Joseph Paul learns much at his Italian grandfather's knee -- about
holding your breath in front of the radio during a 3-2 count with the
bases loaded and having the audacity to dream big dreams. "Each poem is
a perfect, gripping chapter," says Kirkus Reviews in a starred review
of this novel in verse, which honors the timeless bond between a
grandson and his immigrant grandfather -- and the process of finding
one's own place in a brave new world.