Experience Henry Aarons Dream: Candlewick Biographies Picturized By Matt Tavares Provided As Text

is the second picture book biography of Henry "Hank" Aaron taht I've read in as many days, and I have to say that the variation between the two is very interesting.
I'm no Hank Aaron fanatic, but I do find his accomplishemnts and the incredible degree of character that he demonstrated throughout his lifetime worthy of a bit of marveling, He was truly an exceptional human being and he was far from the only one, It's true that Jackie Robinson endured a lot as he led the way with his entrance into the Major Leagues, but that doesn't mean that the trail was any smoother for the others that followed after him.
Yet so many people discount perseverance of Hank Aaron, Unfortunate. Good book though. A biographical story of the mans childhood who would change sports and American forever with his drive and spirit, The book recreates the poor and segregation childhood of Hank Aaron, and his dream to become the first Black player in Major League Baseball, This inspirational tale begins in the sandlot baseball diamonds of Montgomery, Alabama with a boy who didnt even own a mitt or bat, but possessed a dream that would not be stop by anyone.
The inspiring story will teach children to stand up for what they believe in and reach for their dreams not matter what society thinks, Great background story of Hank Aaron, I really enjoyed learning more about his history before his major baseball career, Even better than the story, were the incredible illustrations,

My only concern and I'm sure I will catch flack for this is I wish it hadn't used the "N" word, Because of the age of the children I would read this book to, I would have found it more appropriate to use the phrase "N word" or just say mean names, etc.
I understand the need to use that word for historical purposes, effect, etc, but using it in a book for that age, . . I wouldn't feel comfortable reading it aloud,

Other than that, I loved the story and illustrations, Great read. Wow What a wonderful story of determination and perseverance! Plus, this nonfiction book allows for lots of great learning opportunities civil rights history, statistical studies, the research process and character education.
I'm so glad this book is included on this year's SC Children's Book Award Nominee list, Henry Aaron's Dream is the story of Hank Aaron from his boyhood dream of becoming a major league baseball player and being told by everyone around him that he couldn't do it, to achieving his dream and even playing on the same field as Jackie Robinson, his hero.
Colordrenched watercolor, ink, and pencil illustrations beautifully complement this engaging story of a singleminded boy who becomes a recordsetter and groundbreaker in baseball, He retired from the sport with a recordhome runs, surpassing even the great Babe Ruth, Readers will learn about how Henry later called Hank Aaron grew up in segregated Mobile, Alabama where he played the sport even with what he had on hand rather than the proper equipment.
All that practice eventually paid off, and he spent time in the Negro Leagues and later in the minors before eventually being picked up by the Milwaukee later, Atlanta Braves.
Although Hank's own records as a baseball player are quite impressive, the author takes care to highlight the inspiration Aaron drew from the feats of Jackie Robinson who broke the color barrier in baseball in.
Following Jackie's example of grace under pressure and his refusal to respond to the racist comments and taunts of some baseball fans, Aaron strived to do the same thing, and even insisted that offensive signs be removed from the ballpark where he played.
Although the Author's Note acknowledges many of Aaron's accomplishments and the acclaim he received during his career, the focus of this story is how he kept his eye on his dream, which was to play major league baseball, and not on that home run record.
Interested readers will want to search out other picture biographies focusing on Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and others mentioned in this title to mull over the connections among them and to note the impact each man had on those who followed him.
This picture book is a wonderful introduction to how civil rights had a start in sports, and it also serves as a moving tribute to one man's incredible focus and determination.
Although the book doesn't delve deeply into his upbringing and early days, the author provides enough details to satisfy readers and to encourage those curious to learn more to search for other resources.
Full review at: sitelink unleashingreaders. com/p

My : Matt Tavares's four superbly crafted biographies take a look at the life of each man, but as more than a baseball player, We learn about their childhoods, where they came from, and their dreams and hopes, Each book includes aspects of the history surrounding them including the Depression, wars, and racism, Additionally, these books are crafted beautiful with lyrically written prose, These books are must reads for lovers of baseball, history, and biographies in general,

Teachers Tools for Navigation: I was lucky enough to be asked to write a teachers guide for each of these books, For each book, I created discussion questions and activities including crosscurricular activities, I plan on using this guide in my own classroom with the books in a lit circle type of setting, Each group will be given one of the biographies, will complete the discussion questions and activities, and then become experts on their player before presenting, These biographies are asking to be in classrooms, and I hope the guide helps show how they can fit into a language arts/reading class,

Please check out the complete guide at sitelink candlewick. com/bookfiles/ Story of baseball player Hank Aaron who was inspired by Jackie Robinson to see through his dream of playing major league baseball, Long picturebook with a good list of resources at the back, Watercolor and ink realistic illustrations, Baseball and biography are areas of strength for author Matt Tavares, and Henry Aaron's Dream puts the two together in a picture book, Earlys America was a tough place for a black kid like Henry Aaron, who aspired to play pro baseball, The big leagues were for whites only, his father said, but Henry's passion for the game wouldn't let him accept that, In Mobile, Alabama, it was illegal for blacks and whites to play on the same baseball diamond, but when Henry was twelve years old the city built Carver Park, The "COLORED ONLY" sign outside meant Henry and his pals could finally play baseball on a real field, Henry didn't have perfect batting techniquea righthander, he held the bat with his left hand on topbut he honed his powerhitting skills until they were unmatched by any kid in Mobile.


Things changed for black ballplayers inwhen the Brooklyn Dodgers signed second baseman Jackie Robinson, Now Henry's ambition to play Major League Baseball MLB was attainable, and he closely followed all news about Jackie, Many white fans yelled profanities and racial slurs at Jackie during games, and some boycotted the team, but Jackie ignored the chatter and emerged as a superstar, Henry felt confident he could do the same, When he and his father attended a Dodgers exhibition game inand saw Jackie play live, it made Henry more determined than ever to become an MLB player,

Bythe Mobile Black Bears, a local semipro team, offered Henry a contract, His mother didn't want him quitting high school, so he signed a limited deal to join the Black Bears only on Sundays when they were in Mobile, Henry's first opportunity to audition for MLB scouts went poorly they didn't like his small stature and strange grip on the bat, but Henry refused to quit, After high school he joined the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues, When a scout for the Major League Baseball Braves helped Henry improve his grip on the bat, his offensive efficiency exploded, The Braves tendered him a minorleague contract, and Henry was on the verge of achieving his childhood dream,

Did Henry have the talent to consistently hit against white professional pitchers He wouldn't know until he faced one, but it turned out he had minimal difficulty making that adjustment.
As he worked his way through the minor leagues, Henry faced the same verbal abuse and threats from fans as Jackie Robinson had, but Henry emulated his hero by staying silent and playing the game well.
Inthe Braves inserted him into their lineup for a spring training game, When they played an exhibition in Alabama before the regular season, throngs of old friends, family, and other proud locals flocked to the ballpark to cheer for Henry, Through hard work, patience, and the discipline to tune out the criticism of hateful people, Henry Aaron had fashioned himself into a Major League Baseball player, . . and over the next quarter century, he was one of the finest to ever step on a diamond,

Looking back on the United States in thes from our vantage point today, we can easily fail to apprehend how blacks must have felt, Racial segregation was condoned or at least accepted by a majority of Americans defying that meant placing yourself in society's crosshairs, Most people would not look on you kindly, This is the social landscape in which Henry Aaron became a pro ballplayer, even if his trail was made somewhat easier by Jackie Robinson blazing it first, It requires courage to openly stand against society when they are wrong, but in every generation there are individuals who take the risk to do so, and Henry Aaron was among them.
I'll rate Henry Aaron's Dream two and a half the themes are solid, but the story drags a bit, and stops short of his prime baseball seasons.
By the time Matt Tavares released Growing Up Pedro: How the Martínez Brothers Made It from the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues in, he was more adept at condensing an entire sporting career into a compelling picture book.
Still, Henry Aaron's Dream is a worthwhile read for kids who love baseball history and are receptive to a good underlying message, Any Atlanta Braves fan worth his or her salt knows the name Hank Aaron, but fans

may not realize everything Henry Aaron went through to become one of the best players in the history of baseball.


In Henry Aaron's Dream, a nominee for theSouth Carolina Children's Book Award, author and illustrator Matt Tavares tell the story of how the dream of one young boy came true, despite enormous pressure from those who couldn't see past the color of his skin.
This book takes readers from Aaron's boyhood, playing baseball with anything he could find, through his time with minor and Negro league teams, to his triumphant entry into the world of Major League baseball.
The journey was not easy, but Henry Aaron, with help and inspiration from his hero Jackie Robinson and other leaders who'd gone before him, emerged as one of the best and most beloved baseball players ever.
As a diehard Braves fan, I know he's one of my favorites,

For a great Black History Month lesson revolving around baseball, pair this book with Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson by Sharon Robinson and Kadir Nelson.


This wonderful book, despite being a picture book, is intended for readers in third grade and up, It does use a racially insensitive word, but only to depict the kinds of hatred that Hank Aaron and other black baseball players faced on a regular basis, “Henry Aarons Dream” by Matt Tavares gives the history of baseball legend Hank Aarons rise from boyhood baseball fan learning about Jackie Robinson on the Brooklyn Dodgers, to baseball player in the Negro Leagues, to member of the minor leagues, and finally to baseball legend playing for the Atlanta Braves.
This book touches on the segregation many black baseball players experienced and the racism hurled at the players by white fans, However, it also highlights Henry Aarons hope of one day achieving his dream and his tenacity at overcoming adversity in order to reach his goal, When times got tough and the racism wore on Aaron, his inspiration to keep going came from thinking about his fans and the other Negro League players who never got a shot at playing in the majors.


This book features large watercolor, ink, and pencil illustrations, also by Tavares, that illuminate the text of the story, The size and excellence of the illustrations make this a terrific book to use during story time,

The text is limited, appropriate for young elementary school readersst throughrd grade but some concepts in the book such as segregation, historical figures such as Jackie Robinson, and historical institutions such as the Negro Leagues may require further explanation for some readers.
This is an excellent book for young, male, reluctant readers who have expressed interest in sports, They will love this look at famous baseball legend Hank Aaron and his journey to achieving his dream, I initially selected this book to read because I remembered my Dad talking about going to watch the Milwaukee Braves play when he was a little boy, Henry "Hank" Aaron was one of the players he would tell me about,

As a boy, Henry practiced batting by swinging a broom handle and used rags or tin cans for his baseballs, In thes, there were many ball diamonds in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama where he couldn't play because of the color of his skin, When he turned twelve, a new ball diamond opened, one where the sign read "colored only" instead of "whites only", Henry didn't hold his bat the right way, but he'd play until the night was too dark and until he could hit harder than anyone else at Carver Park,

A year later, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in big league baseball and Henry Aaron now had a chance at his dream, He heard of the challenges, knew what he would face, but kept working to get into the big leagues, While still in high school, Henry was able to play for a local semipro team, When first he had a chance to try out for the Dodgers, he was dismissed as someone too small who played wrong, That didn't stop Henry. The book follows his progress until he makes it into the major leagues and his family sees him play in an exhibition game in Mobile,

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous, This would be a great picture book for not only sports fans, but for discussing civil rights and following dreams, It could also be a good fit for students studying either Alabama or Wisconsin history, Of particular interest to many baseball fans will be the statistics chart at the end of the book, .