Joltin' Joe DiMaggio - Jonah Winter, James E. Ransome

Few baseball fans can resist Yankee pinstripes, especially when they cover a new picture book about Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio (Atheneum, $17.99). With casual, folksy prose and James E. Ransome’s detailed illustrations, author Jonah Winter portrays DiMaggio’s early years, living near the San Francisco waterfront. DiMaggio’s baseball prowess led to a meteoric rise to fame as the New York Yankee’s center-fielder. His quiet demeanor added to his mystique, and Joe handled his stardom with great dignity, even after setting a record of hitting safely in 56 consecutive games. This record still endures today, along with the respect for this American legend.  Ages 4-8. RBB