Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos

by Nathalie Alonso, Rudy Gutierrez (illustrator)

Here is the often overlooked yet inspirational story of Major League Baseball player Roberto Clemente—not Robert—who endured years of racism and discrimination to become one of the greatest baseball players of all time.Roberto Clemente always loved baseball. Growing up in Carolina, Puerto Rico, he swung tree branches (since he didn’t have a bat) and hit tin cans. He was always batting, pitching, running, sliding. His dedication paid off when, at the age of 19, he was tapped for a major league team. First chilly Montreal . . . where he warmed the bench and himself, longing to play baseball. Months later, he finally got his chance with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente became an instant star on the field—hitting the ball and making it to first base and finally home. Many Pittsburgh fans loved his bold style on the field, but not everyone was quick to embrace a Black man from Puerto Rico who spoke español. This nonfiction picture book by MLB.com reporter Nathalie Alonso and award-winning illustrator Rudy Gutierrez shows the emotional highs and lows of Roberto Clemente’s career as he fought racism—from fans, reporters, and other figures in the sport—to become one of the greatest baseball players of all time. With English and Spanish words intermingled in the text, this book will inspire young readers as they learn about Clemente’s contributions to Black, Latino, and American history.

Genres: Biography, Picture Books, Sports, Nonfiction, History, Baseball, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published August 27, 2024

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

4.5 stars.

I'm grateful to have received a copy of Call Me Roberto from Netgalley, as this picture book biography is excellent.

The book covers the career of baseball icon Roberto Clemente, a Black Puerto Rican player who achieved incredible heights as a baseball player while fighting prejudice he faced as a Black and Spanish-speaking person in the US in the 50s-70s. I did find myself wishing that it included a little bit more about his personal life and his activism, but I also appreciated how in the note at the end the author mentions that many sources often focus on those aspects of his life rather than on what an incredible athlete he was, and I respect that. I don't know a lot about sports history as a whole, so I came into this without much knowledge to go off of, but I enjoyed learning here. The story is engaging and the art is dreamy and gorgeous.

Call Me Roberto! is definitely a book worth reading, and one I would recommend, especially for kids who are interested in sports (especially baseball of course) and history.

[Rod Brown]

This telling of Roberto Clemente's life has some flaws in the flow of the text and overall narrative, but I really like the skewed and swirly nature of the illustrations.

[David]

A beautifully illustrated children's biography about Roberto Clemente. He sat the bench for Montreal when he started. Pittsburgh Pirates picked him up. He was taunted (as a show-off for his talent). Reaching the World Series (and winning), with a hit in every game, he was still voted 8th on the MVP list. A celebration met him back in Puerto Rico.

The next year, the accolades continued: All Star game, then winning the world series again. This time the MVP was properly awarded to him.

A few simple Spanish words to emphasize his heritage (small glossary in the back).

I have taken my picture with the Roberto statue outside PNC Park in Pittsburgh, and laid my hands on the outfield wall (near the Pitt campus - original Pirate field), that Roberto defended. So I'm kind of biased. But this book will hook any/all kids (and adults) as you feel his deserved recognition increase on each page. He was a fantastic human being!

[Daniel Ray]

I grew up in the Pittsburgh area and watched this great ballplayer. He had the best throwing arm the majors has ever seen. He could do everything - run, hit for average, hit for power and play the outfield. What I didn’t truly understand was that he wasn’t accepted in the US when the Pirates put him in the field in 1957. Baseball was still a white players game and even his teammates shunned him. The local reporters didn’t recognize him. Until 1961 when he won the National League batting title (the 1st of 4), and got his first gold glove award (the 1st of 12 straight). He was the 1966 NL MVP and the 1971 World Series MVP. He was the first Latino and the 11th player in the history of the game to achieve 3000 hits. I was at that game with my parents and brothers when he hit a left field line drive double. And he died at aged 38 in an emergency missionary plane crash just 3 months later.

[Pamela Courtney]

Rich. Vibrant. Action-packed! These words describe Nathalie Alonso and Rudy Gutierrez's engaging new title, Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos.

Alonso’s passion for baseball is strongly felt in her reverence, respect, and admiration for Roberto Clemente. Alonso’s pacing is thoughtful. Her perfect staccato phrases and longer lines of emotional prose hold you in intimate scenes on one spread, then sends you with fast-ball-flying-tension detailing career-making, game-changing, history making baseball moments on the next. Nathalie shares the pride Clemente never relinquishes even when racism invades every aspect of his life in American baseball. So well done. At the same time, Gutierrez’s illustrations are a lesson in sophisticated, powerful storytelling, delivering strong, sweeping movements that direct and command your eyes to the joys and the pains that is Clemente's story. Man! I love the way Alonso and Gutierrez shared the man named Roberto Clemente.

[Gary Anderson]

Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos is an important new nonfiction picture book celebrating Roberto Clemente, the inspirational Hall of Fame outfielder and Puerto Rican icon, as author Nathalie Alonso connects Clemente’s childhood passion for baseball with his stellar professional career. Alonso is a reporter and producer for LasMayores.com, the official Spanish-language website for Major League Baseball, and her baseball expertise provides authenticity in the narrative with phrases such as “ropes a single” and “pushes a run across the plate.”

The baseball action is completely satisfying, but Call Me Roberto! also covers the prejudice that Clemente endured as a Black Latino player in the minor leagues and eventually for the major league Pittsburgh Pirates. For example, early in his career, he was called “Bob” to make him seem “more American,” but Clemente insisted, “Call me Roberto.” Later, Clemente’s 1961 team held spring training in Florida where even after winning the World Series, segregation forced him to be “stuck in his room in another part of town” while his teammates enjoyed golfing and going to the beach.
Alonso’s focus is the juxtaposition of baseball, injustice, and language. Clemente’s pride in his Puerto Rican heritage is conveyed through Spanish phrases and sentences at various points in the narrative and artwork. Much of this can be understood by non-Spanish speakers through context, but the back matter features a glossary of each word or phrase used in the text.

Clemente is also remembered for his extraordinary philanthropy and tragic death at age 38 in a plane crash while delivering supplies to earthquake survivors in Nicaragua. The main narrative of Call Me Roberto! does not delve into his death or philanthropy, but they are covered in the back matter’s chronology and Alonso’s touching Author’s Note.

Alonso’s brilliant storytelling is superbly enhanced by Rudy Gutierrez’s artwork. Gutierrez uses mixed media in vivid colors that combine realistic and abstract images with words in varying typography to create captivating collage-like page spreads.

Call Me Roberto! is a perfect book for baseball fans and for celebrating Latino culture, and really for anyone who appreciates high-quality picture books. I hope Nathalie Alonso and Rudy Gutierrez team up for more baseball books like Call Me Roberto!

[Dawn]

Picture book biography of baseball legend Roberto Clemente. The focus is almost exclusively on his baseball career, with only a single spread covering his childhood and his philanthropy relegated to the author’s note. While highlighting his many achievements, the book also points out all of the discrimination that Roberto faced. He was mocked in the media for his accent, referred to as “Bob” because it sounded more American, and forced to stay in a different hotel from his teammates during spring training in segregated Florida. But Roberto persevered and eventually he and other black and Latino players were more accepted into baseball culture. Remind me a bit of “Above the Rim” but obvs about baseball. Illustrations are lovely. Very bright and eye catching. A good one, especially for baseball fans.

Backmatter includes an author’s note, timeline, selected bibliography, and English translations of the Spanish words peppered throughout the book. 36 pages.

[Nikki]

I knew a little about Roberto Clemente before reading this picture book, but now I have a whole new respect for him and his fight for equal rights on the baseball field. The story is great, and the artwork is outstanding.

[Brina]

Each year I try make Roberto Clemente the centerpiece of my Hispanic Heritage Month reading in the light that I make Jackie Robinson the crown jewel of my African American History Month reading. Both men were pioneers and are feted by Major League Baseball deservingly so. This is where their path diverges. Robinson is lauded as the first and his number is retired by all of Major League Baseball. Clemente experienced the duel discrimination of being an Afro-Latino at a time when not too many Spanish speakers lived in the United States. I tell school children that these two men are on a short list of my American heroes, but, whereas Robinson’s number is retired, Clemente’s is not. While I have to cull my list of Robinson books each year, and it is a struggle, it is equally a struggle to find many Clemente books that are not geared toward children. The few for adults I have read already. Estoy lista para ponerme accento, but this year it had been a stretch to find any new Clemente reading material. Enter Nathalie Alonso. The journalist turned children’s writer desired to tell Clemente’s story to new generations of children and has a new book out in time for the kickoff of Hispanic Heritage Month on September 15. Puedo ponerme accento todavía.

For those unfamiliar with Roberto Clemente’s story, in a nutshell the Brooklyn Dodgers discovered him playing in Puerto Rico for the Santurce Crabs. A scout asked Robinson if the team should sign Clemente, but he told the stark truth- the team had too many black players and one more might alienate the team’s longstanding white fans. In the 1954, the Dodgers left Clemente unprotected in the annual free agent draft, and the Pirates, the team with the worst record in baseball, selected Clemente first. Starting in 1955 Clemente started in right field for the Pirates, and he was a five tool player. He could run, catch, throw, hit, and hit for power. His throws from right field to nab a runner at third base or even at home plate were the stuff of legend. That would come in time over the course of his career when he was known as the leader of a Pirates team that would win two World Series during his playing career. Early in his career, however, Clemente faced the same discrimination that Robinson did. In hindsight, he would have loved to play in New York because of the number of Puerto Ricans who lived there. By 1958, the Dodgers and Giants had moved to California, and the Yankees would be the last team to integrate. The dream of playing in New York in front of Latinos remained a pipe dream at best. Clemente eventually would become an icon in Pittsburgh.

Reporters did not know what to make of Clemente, a quiet star. He preferred to speak in Spanish because at the beginning of his career, he was not comfortable speaking in English. The media referred to him as Bob because it sounded more American to Caucasians. He stated, no, Por favor, call me Roberto. Clemente faced the duel discrimination of being an Afro-Latino, which might be the most overlooked aspect of his career. He dealt with the language barrier, which now is an afterthought, as well as being considered African American. In 1955, Clemente faced the same discrimination as all of the African American players. He could not stay in the infamous Chase Hotel in St Louis or in the ritzy resort style hotels where his teammates spent during spring training. This would remain until the passage of the civil rights act ten years later when Clemente was in the tail end of his career. Whereas Robinson advocated for civil rights, Clemente remained more of a passive observer, slowly becoming more comfortable speaking in English, while giving over portions of his interviews in Spanish. Rather than being out spoken, he carried himself with grace and dignity, the title of the full length biography written by the esteemed David Maraniss. Clemente’s longest lasting contributions, like those of Robinson, would occur off of the playing field.

Before I laud Clemente for his charitable contributions as a humanitarian, which might be the part of his life that is most known, I want to laud the author Nathalie Alonso as a pioneer in her own right. Alonso has been a writer for losmayores.com for many years. As Major League Baseball has grown internationally and includes a sizable population of Hispanic players, Alonso has written of their accolades online. Prior to her blog, baseball, the slowest sport to modernize, only wrote articles in English. This profession meant that Alonso would have to enter locker rooms and conduct on field interviews. Although female reporters have been entering the male domain for a few decades now, it is still stigmatizing, and Alonso handled it like a champion. A friend suggested that she foray into children’s writing, and it is only appropriate that Clemente, the champion of Latino ball players, would be her first subject. Partnering with Gutierrez whose artwork has won many awards, Alonso wove the tale of Clemente in a way that children could relate to. The art allows his image to jump out of the page as though he were running and throwing. Today’s children who might not have heard of Roberto Clemente would now know his story for themselves.

Alonso touches on the plane crash that tragically ended Clemente’s life but in the afterword that not all kids will take the time to read. Her primary message is that Clemente was the first Latino star who spoke up for all his Latino breathren and told reporters to address him by his given name. Baseball’s humanitarian award is named for Clemente, as it should be, and other than the most valuable player award, it is baseball’s highest honor. I believe that that is not enough. On September 15 in Pittsburgh all the Pirates wear #21 to honor Clemente as well as previous winners of the humanitarian award and Hispanic players on all teams who get clearance. I believe that #21 should be retired by Major League Baseball in the manner than #42 is. Clemente was as much of a pioneer as Robinson was, more so because he faced a language barrier during an era when not many people hablaban español. Next Sunday I will be sure to sign online petitions encouraging baseball to retire #21 while watching the Pirates broadcast in lieu of the Cubs and for good reason. When I tell children that Robinson and Clemente are two of my American heroes, it does not come lightly. They were trailblazers. Muy bien hecho a Nathalie Alonso for bringing Clemente’s story to light for new generations of children.

🇵🇷 5 stars 🏴‍☠️

[Adalys C]

“Call me Roberto” is a powerful picture book for older elementary students. Not only does it explore the Puertorican culture and Spanish language, but it also highlights the unique struggle of dark skinned hispanics. We learn about Roberto’s life growing up in Puerto Rico, moving to the US for a career, and struggling within his career at the beginning even through he was recruited simply because he was Puerto Rican. There are many Hispanic cultures each with their own beauties, and although many go through some of the same struggles, it’s also important to note the differences in cultures and struggles too. This book does that but also allows others to connect with Roberto’s story and the feelings he battled through.

[Jaclyn]

vibrant colors and fluid movement help the story but I wish the biography was more focused

[Stephanie Bange]

This book was awarded a Sibert Honor Award.

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Clemente loved baseball. He was pleased when he was drafted with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he played for 18 seasons. He faced racism and ridiculte as a Black Puerto Rican who initially spoke only Spanish. He proved his worth to the team by his athletic achievements on the field, winning World Series MVP in the process, only to be killed a few months later when on board an airplane bound to Central America on a humanitarian trip.

Alonso, a writer for MLB.com uses her sportscaster skills to make this an exciting biography to read. As a Cuban-American, she empathizes with the discrimination that Clemente experienced while playing. Backmatter includes a biography about Clemente, 3 B&W photos of him, a glossary of Spanish terms, translation of a Spanish phrase in the text, timeline of Clemente's life, selected bibliography of materials used in researching his life, illustrator's note, and photo credits.

Award-winning illustrator Rudy Gutierrez rendered his artwork in mixed media, using acrylic paint with colored pencils and crayons. He has captured Clemente's determination and can-do attitude in each illustration. They are lifelike, bright, and colorful - very engaging! His use of patterns to show movement and swishes across the page add so much to the action of the story. Several of his stylized 2-page spreads (ex. batting in 1955) are exaggerated in the same way many artists did in WPA art; they show strength, fluidity, and movement.

Use in units on African American history, baseball/sports stars, humanitarians, and accomplished people to emulate.

Highly Recommended for grades 2-5.

[Shawna]

Roberto Clemente, a remarkable American baseball player, was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, on August 18, 1934. From a young age, he was passionate about baseball and loved everything, from swinging the bat to catching the ball. He started playing baseball in Montreal, Canada, but unfortunately, he didn't get much playing time there. However, he didn't give up on his dream and continued to work hard and hone his skills. In 1955, Roberto got to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, which marked the beginning of his professional career. Although he was an excellent player, he faced discrimination and unfair treatment because of his skin color. Despite the challenges, he never lost his spirit and continued to work hard, earning a reputation as a dedicated and talented player. Roberto's perseverance eventually paid off when he helped the Pirates win the World Series of baseball in 1960. He went on to become a legend of the game, achieving 3,000 hits. His contributions to the world of baseball were enormous, and his legacy still inspires young players today.

Nathalie Alonso's "Call Me Roberto" book is a beautiful tribute to Roberto's life and legacy. It is a comprehensive resource with a glossary, timeline, and bibliography, making it an excellent educational tool for homes and schools. It tells the story of Roberto's life and achievements and highlights the challenges he faced and overcame. Roberto Clemente's life is a testament to the power of perseverance, dedication, and hard work.

I just reviewed Call Me Roberto! by Nathalie Alonso, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez. #CallMeRoberto #NetGalley

[Roben]

Roberto Clemente was born in Puerto Rico and he loved baseball. Fortunately, he was good at it. A Scout spotted him and drafted him to play baseball in Montreal. He mostly sat on the bench until he was acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates! He finally was able to demonstrate his talent. A lot of people were thrilled.
But - this was the 1955. So there were also people who were not thrilled that Roberto was black. Or that he spoke Spanish. They wanted to call him "Bob" because it sounded more American. He said NO! Call me Roberto. I am proud to be from Puerto Rico.
In 1960, with help from Roberto, the Pirates head to the World Series. His mom flies up from Puerto Rico to watch her son play. The Pirates win! But not everyone celebrates Roberto's contributions. He heads home to Puerto Rico where he is treated like the hero he is. In America, he is voted 8th for MVP - because he is black and from Puerto Rico.
Even worse, at spring training in Florida Roberto can't even stay in the same hotel with the team because he is black. He keeps proving what a great player he is on the field and other teams start recruiting players from the Latin America. In 1971, the Pirates return to the World Series. Roberto once again leads the team to victory - and this time the press acknowledges him as MVP. He was the first Spanish-speaking player to earn that honor.
Sadly, Roberto died in a plane crash while on his way to deliver humanitarian aid after an earthquake in Nicaragua.
But thanks to the author - who is Latina and also works in baseball - his inspiring story can be shared with a wider audience.

[Maritere Rodriguez Bellas]

It is always a humbling experience to read a biography that highlights the accomplishments of someone you admired growing up. When that person was born and raised in the same place as you and he became a baseball legend and a hero in his native Puerto Rico, to many in Pittsburgh, and in Nicaragua, and really all over the world now, it is even more significant.

Call me Roberto is an ode to a skilled and gifted Black Puerto Rican baseball player that was proud of his language and his culture. Beautifully written by journalist Nathalie Alonso, the book describes a determined, courageous, and kind Roberto and shares the story of how he endured years of racism, criticism, and discrimination, with grace and dignity, becoming one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Illustrations by Rudy Gutierrez are stunning and poignant. Thank you, Nathalie, for introducing Roberto’s story to a new generation of readers, all over the world. As a Puerto Rican, it makes me proud to know that Roberto’s legacy is still alive and recognized. A book for home libraries, neighborhood libraries, school libraries and, bookstores everywhere!
Maritere R. Bellas

[Bailey Young]

Call Me Roberto! Roberto Clemente Goes To Bat For Latinos is a fascinating, educational, captivating, needed, and inspiring story! This book is a child friendly biography of a major league baseball player. It is recommended for grades second through fifth (seven years old to ten years old), but I would recommend this book to someone of any age. Roberto's story is far more than on the field success. His determination despite a lack of resources opened the door for him to professionally play baseball, but the challenges didn't stop there. He worked his way up the ranks in spite of discrimination, media slander, Jim Crow laws, and the many individuals, teammates to fans, who refused to embrace a Black man from Puerto Rico whose first language is español as a real player.

I loved this story! Roberto is truly an admirable individual. The way he refused to denounce his culture and history in order to fit in is inspiring. The legacy he left on the field is honorable, but so are many more aspects of who he was that are honorable.

[Randall]

Summary:
A nonfiction picture that walks through the story of Roberto Clemente. The book is beautifully illustrated by Caldecott winner Rudy Gutierrez. A heart-warming story unfolds that journals Clemente's route from Puerto Rico to major league baseball. He has to endure skepticism, prejudice, and cultural erasure. Struggles that Roberto enduring during his career are mentioned through this story. While he continually faced challenge after challenge to prove himself and live equally among other athletes, Clemente continued to demonstrate greatness on and off the field.
Honest Review:
This influential story was inspiring and disheartening. To know that he went through so many challenges and battles really demonstrates that humanity can learn from their behavior. I loved the book. It was laid out remarkable and visually was brilliant.
Classroom Usage:
This story is great from reading comprehension. With it being chocked full of facts about Clemente, students could truly engage with key details of the text. Great read to include during Hispanic/Latin Heritage months.

[Lisa]

Robert Clemente wanted to play baseball. Growing up in Puerto Rico, he always had a bat or a ball in his hands (or something like them). When he was scouted to the major leagues and brought to America, Clemente discovered that even though he was the best player, his race and language worked against him in the States. It was an uphill battle to be recognized for his talent and hard work.

So many of my middle school students are going to love this! Alonso has included a lot of Spanish (with a glossary) and the translation of a quotation as well, which I'm very glad was included in the end matter rather than on page - it felt like a secret message to his parents. Also includes a bibliography and timeline. Gutierrez illustrations have so much color and movement - Clemente seems to be playing ball right there on the page. I'm so excited to share this with our students. Roberto Clemente is Puerto Rican.

[Lois]

I'm not a baseball fan and had never heard of Roberto Clemente. I chose this book because it earned a Sibert Informational Book award. I found author Nathalie Alonso sprinkles her story of a Latin American baseball star with Spanish words. Her text is accompanied with Rudy Gutierrez's colorful, bold illustrations that match Roberto Clemente's style of playing baseball. Back matter with an Author's Note explaining how Clemente died at age thirty-eight and his pride in his Afro-Puerto Rican roots while struggling for equality as his baseball career soared. Also included is a Glossary of Spanish words and a translation of a quote used in the text plus several b/w photos, a Selected Bibliography, Acknowledgments, the Illustrator's Note, Timeline, and Picture Credits. Baseball fans, young players, and readers like me who don't know about baseball, will enjoy this well written and illustrated tribute to a Puerto Rican baseball hero.

[Sherry]

2025 Sibert Honor Book by Cuban American journalist, Nathalie Alonso, has been a reporter and editorial producer for LasMayores.com, Major League Baseball’s official Spanish-language website since 2006. Here she teams up with Caldecott Honor winning Rudy Gutierrez of Puerto Rican heritage to celebrate the career of Puerto Rico’s Roberto Clemente. His love of the game, a year often sitting in the bench in Montreal, and 18 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, facing racial prejudice, Jim Crow restrictions, ridicule for speaking español and Puerto Rican accented English, who demanded to be called Roberto, not Bob, were all part of the man who left a record as one of the most accomplished baseball players of all time.
This is a bold and lushly illustrated biography, accessible to all baseball fans.

[John Mullarkey]

A vibrant and informative picture book biography of Hall-of -Famer Roberto Clemente. Over his 18 seasons, all with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clemente was an electric player with excellent athletic ability. He was also a humanitarian who was proud of his Puerto Rican heritage and tragically died while bringing relief cargo to Central American earthquake victims. Alonso has written an engaging biography that can be both an excellent read aloud to a class or group, or read as story about one of baseball’s all-time greats- who was a humanitarian who had to overcome both racial and ethnic discrimination. The artwork by award-winning artist Rudy Gutierrez is colorful, fluid and very expressive it also shows a sense of movement and athletic action. Ample back matter includes biographical detail, timeline, and a glossary of Spanish terms

[Shana OkieCozyReader]

4.5 ⭐️ Loved reading this with my students this week. I can see why it won a Sibert Honor Award. My students really enjoyed it and several (3-5th grade) immediately wanted to check it out after we read it. We listened to the audio by Johnny Rey Diaz was beautiful, also.

The pictures in the book by Caldecott Honor winner Rudy Gutierrez are reminiscent of his work in general. With their movement and color, they pull young readers right in.

Nathalie Alonso clearly has a lot of love for Clemente. I love how she chose to end the book with his biggest success and not his death (but writes about it in depth in the Author’s Note).

I feel like this book really helps the reader understand his struggles and his talent, and the love Puerto Rico has for him.

[Lissette Norman]

CALL ME ROBERTO! is a beautiful and inspiring story about the legendary, Afro-Puerto Rican baseball player, Roberto Clemente. This nonfiction book captures the spirit, determination, and talent of Clemente, as well as his relentless fight against prejudice. Insisting on being called Roberto and not Bob sends a powerful message about honoring your identity to young readers. With English and Spanish text throughout, I loved reading the Spanish quote from Clemente’s World Series championship speech. The illustrations are vibrant and stunning! This book would be a great addition to all libraries and I highly recommend it!

[Aixa Perez-Prado]

A celebration of identity and resilience, Call Me Roberto!: Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos is a powerful ode to a hero who transcended the baseball diamond. Alonso captures not just the excitement of the game, but the heart and soul of a man who stood strong against injustice. Her writing expertly balances the rhythm of baseball with the deeper struggles Clemente faced, giving voice to the pride and strength he embodied as a Latino navigating an often-hostile world. As a Latina, books like this feel like they make all the difference to our communities of kids who are looking to find themselves portrayed as powerful voices for all of us.

[Alma]

Exciting, action-filled descriptions of Roberto Clemente’s incredible hits, throws, and leaps that lifted the Pirates to two World Series, are contrasted with the lows he experienced due to racism. From humble beginnings in Carolina, Puerto Rico, to the pinnacle of his success with the Pirates in 1972, young readers will learn about the phenomenon that was Roberto Clemente. I really hope this book wins a Pura Belpré Author award as well as an Illustration Award at the January 2025 ALA Media Awards in Phoenix. Read more about it on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....

[Zan Porter]

Roberto Clemente always loved baseball. Growing up in Carolina, Puerto Rico, he swung tree branches (since he didn’t have a bat) and hit tin cans. He was always batting, pitching, running, sliding. His dedication paid off when, at the age of 19, he was tapped for a major league team. First chilly Montreal...where he warmed the bench and himself, longing to play baseball. Months later, he finally got his chance with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemente became an instant star on the field--hitting the ball and making it to first base and finally home. Many Pittsburgh fans loved his bold style on the field, but not everyone was quick to embrace a Black man from Puerto Rico who spoke español."--

[Jenny]

Roberto Clemente played MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates for 18 years. He won two World Series, 12 consecutive Golden Gloves, and was the MVP. In 1972, he reaches 3,000 hits...the first Latino and 11th player to hit that milestone. Unfortunately, he also faced racism and prejudice both because Spanish was his native language, and because he was a black Latino. He worked to make things more fair for others. I'm not much of a sports fan, so although I knew a few of these facts about Roberto Clemente, I didn't know much. And I didn't know that he was killed in a plane crash while heading to Nicaragua to help earthquake victims.

[Annahi Campos]

Copyright Date: 2024

Awards: Robert F. Sibert Honor

Genre: Picture Book Biography, Nonfiction.

This book tells the story of Roberto Clemente, who grew up in Puerto Rico playing baseball, then became a Major League star while facing racism and fighting for respect as a Latino athlete in the U.S. I would use this book in my classroom to teach about sports history, Latino identity, perseverance, and how one person can stand up for justice and change.
I really liked this book, its mixture of sports action and deeper struggles made it inspiring. I also liked how it talked about how Clemente stayed proud of his name and culture, even when people tried to change it to “Bob.”

[Christina Getrost]

Excellent children's picturebook biography of the groundbreaking Black Puerto Rican all-star baseball player Roberto Clemente, telling how he faced racism and segregation, reporters mocking his accent, but he persevered and broke all kinds of records in the sport. Sadly he died in a 1972 plane crash, leaving Puerto Rico to deliver relief supplies to Nicaraguan earthquake victims. The illustrations are beautiful: lots of movement, bright colors, flowing lines, stylized. In acrylic with colored pencils. Includes bibliography, picture credits (there are some historical photos), and sources for quotations. The author writes articles in Spanish for Major League Baseball.

[Panda Incognito]

This picture book biography tells the inspiring true story of how Roberto Clemente helped integrate baseball. The illustrations are bold and colorful, and they convey movement vividly, which is perfect for a sports book! The story emphasizes how talented Clemente was, what a great baseball player he was, and how he used his platform to advocate for justice and uplift others. This is a truly inspiring story, and is a must-have for library collections.

I received a temporary digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.