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The Bat Boy & His Violin
by Gavin Curtis

The Bat Boy and His Violin by Gavin Curtis is a story about father-son relationships and of acceptance and respect in spite of differences. A great story for ages 5 - 8.

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Gavin Curtis

Aladdin Picture Books

E.B. Lewis

Softcover

11 x 8 1/2 inches

27 0-689-84115-9

1998

5-8

3 $6.99

$4.50

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Why You Will Like this Book

The Bat Boy & His Violin by Gavin Curtis, illustrated by E.B. Lewis is a positive story about father/son differences. Reggie loves music, particularly the violin (Papa called it a fiddle.) Papa loves sports, particularly baseball and his beloved Dukes of the National Baseball League. Reginald respects his papa's baseball world and wants to do well as bat boy. Papa finally admits that he loves his son more than baseball and appreciates his gift of music as well.

Publishers Weekly wrote about the book, "This imposing book will score high marks with youngsters, whether their tastes run to sports or to Mozart."

Synopsis

Reginald loves his violin and practicing the violin, but his papa wants him to be a ball player like he was. The time is 1948 and the Dukes are the worst team in the Negro National League. Reginald's papa is manager of the Dukes. To try to instill a love for baseball in his son, his father makes him the bat boy of the team. Reginald's time as bat boy helps his father to appreciate his son's gift of violin playing.

Description

Within the 27 pages Gavin Curtis tells a beautiful tale of family love. The story, told by Reggie, is mostly about being bat boy for the Dukes. His description, told so straight-forwardly, offers the readers insight about what it may have been like to travel in 1948 with the Dukes, a 'colored' team. The illustrations capture the action of the story wonderfully. Mr. Lewis stated that he conducted extensive research to create the paintings for The Bat Boy & His violin. He used his son Joshua as the model for Reginald. This beautiful story about family relationships received the Coretta Scott King Award.

E. B. Lewis,Illustrator

The future isn't outer space or technology, the future is our children." E.B. Lewis

E.B. Lewis (Earl Bradley), illustrator of The Bat Boy & His Violin was born December 16, 1956 in Philadelphia, PA. He was only nine or ten when he decided he wanted to be an artist.

His uncle ,a noted painter in Philadelphia and administrator of the Temple University School Art League, became a mentor to young Lewis and enrolled him in the art league. He remained in the program until 1975 when he enrolled in the Temple University School of Art.

After graduation Lewis taught and freelanced in graphic design. Between 1985 and 1986 he compiled a large body of work which was exhibited in a downtown Philadelphia gallery. The show sold out. That success brought Lewis' work to the prestigious Rosenfeld Gallery, where his shows continue to sell out.

Mr. Lewis is widely acclaimed as an illustrator of children's picture books. In 2005 Coming on Home Soon illustrated by E.B. Lewis was a Caldecott winner. His talent and achievement as an illustrator will soon be recognized in Barbara Bader's History on American Picture books.

Earl Lewis is currently teaching illustration at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and is a member of The Society of Illustrators in New York City.

You can find out more about E.B.Lewis and about the books he has illustrated by visiting his website.

Do You Know?

Andrew 'Rube' Foster, owner of the Chicago American Giants and baseball's most influential personality, organized the Negro National League in Kansas City in 1920. There were 8 teams.

In 1935 the Pittsburgh Crawfords lineup included 5 future Hall-Of-Famers-- Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Judy Johnson, and Oscar Charleston.

On April 18, 1946, Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers organization and baseball's color barrier was cracked.

This information is from Negro League History 101.

Another story you may enjoy about pursuit of music in the face of discouragement is Ben's Trumpet by Rachel Isadora

The Bat Boy & His Violinby Gavin Curtis