Catching the Moon

Review
By Booklist

In her torn dress and street shoes, Marcenia, who is growing up in the 1920s, bests many of the boys on her baseball team. But her father criticizes her “tomboy” interests, and a scout for a local baseball camp refuses to accept a girl on the team. Marcenia vows to play hard and change the scout’s mind, and she finally wins a spot on the team. An afterword explains that Marcenia grew up to become Toni Stone, the first woman to play for a professional baseball team… the story, rich in dialogue and detail, are based on true events. She (Hubbard) does… write with sensory precision that conveys the thrilling feel of playing (“the powdery taste of dust clouds”; “the sting” of a baseball slamming into a mitt), while DuBurke’s textured ink and acrylic images emphasize Marcenia’s excitement on the field and yearning at home. Children, especially girls, will cheer for Marcenia as she defies the narrow expectations for young women of the time–and fiercely pursues her dream.