The Thing Lenny Loves Most About Baseball

Larsen delivers the encouraging story of Lenny, a light brown–skinned child who loves reading about baseball in his Big Book of Baseball Facts but is discouraged once the season starts and he fails to catch a pop fly. With some practice and the constant support of his red-haired father, however, Lenny grows as a player and learns that even the greats aren’t great all the time—just one of the many things Lenny enjoys about the game. “I love that about baseball” serves as a refrain throughout, reinforcing Lenny’s devotion and determination. Pavlovic’s dynamic illustrations, rendered on paper and digitally, bring the tale to life with comics-style panels, pencil strokes, and washes of watercolor. This motivational tale, set against the potent backdrop of a compassionate parent-child relationship, will remind readers that improvement requires persistence. Ages 3–7. (Oct.)