The Littlest Leaguer

by Syd Hoff

Of all the players in the little league, Harold was the littlest. No matter how hard he tries, Harold is no good at baseball. The ground balls always bounce over his head, and his little legs never get him to the pop flies fast enough. So the only place Coach Lombardi puts him is on the bench. Until one day, during a very important game, Harold gets his big chance to show that being little isn't so bad after all.

Genres: Sports, Picture Books, Childrens

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Whether you’re seven or seventy, the chances are you’ve probably come in contact with one of his many books (150 plus), or cartoons that have appeared in over 200 magazines in the course of his lifetime, including Laugh it Off which was syndicated for 20 years. His comic strip Tuffy, about a little girl who did funny things, was declared essential for national morale during WWII by William Randolph Hearst.

Syd has worked in diverse genres. He had the distinct honor of working with Alfred Hitchcock and Ellery Queen as a contributor of short fiction writing. He was awarded national advertising commissions for large companies such as Chevrolet, Maxwell House Coffee and others. He had his own TV show (Tales of Hoff on CBS), traveled the world as entertainment on cruise ships and entertained children and teachers in schools and libraries across the country.

Reviews

[Josiah]

Baseball is unlike most major sports in that size isn't the main determining factor of how great a player can be. It's hard to compete at the highest levels of basketball, football, or hockey if you're a string bean or shrimp, but the annals of baseball lore include numerous legends who weren't gigantic. Hugh Duffy, Wee Willie Keeler, Pee Wee Reese, Al Kaline, Bobby Shantz, Greg Maddux, and David Eckstein are only a few Major League Baseball stars who accomplished tremendous things on the diamond despite a lack of size. Syd Hoff draws attention to the capability of miniature athletes with big hearts in The Littlest Leaguer, showing by Harold's example that a defining triumph may be waiting around the bend if we're patient and prepared to pounce on the opportunity when it arrives.

Harold hasn't had any success to speak of on his little league baseball team. He's not tall enough to stop ground balls from hopping over his head when he plays infield, and his stride is too short for outfield duty. Harold is so small that he can't generate any real velocity when he swings the bat, so compensating for his fielding deficiencies by wielding dangerous lumber is out of the question. Coach Lombardo has to bench him, but Harold makes the most of his demotion by taking care of the team's bats and bringing cold drinks to starting players. Coach encourages Harold not to make a big deal of his size; plenty of MLB standouts were small and never let that stop them, and neither should Harold. That gets Harold thinking harder about what he can do to help the team, but it isn't until the league championship is on the line with his team in a tight spot that it dawns on Harold how he can leverage his petiteness to competitive advantage. It's a positive statement for little guys everywhere, that physical stature isn't as important as indomitable spirit. Harold's banner moment gives hope to all of us considered too small for sports.

Not everything in The Littlest Leaguer is realistic, but enough of it is to let the story be believable if we give it the benefit of the doubt. I like that Harold's teammates, tired of his lack of on-field production at the story's beginning, react to it differently. Shirley the shortstop means well with her suggestions to Harold, but Big Leon, who patrols first base, only belittles and sneers at him. The shortest team member will have to do something extraordinary to win over his peers. I always have a good time with Syd Hoff's easy readers, and I enjoyed The Littlest Leaguer, though it's no Danny and the Dinosaur. Syd Hoff's books are a must for learning readers, and for kids who love baseball but have yet to develop interest in reading, The Littlest Leaguer could be the way to go.

[Tawnie]

Grades: K to 3 Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Harold is the smallest player on his little league baseball team. His team mates don’t appreciate him and he spends most of the season sitting on the bench. Harold tries to get bigger, but it just doesn’t happen. His parents try to encourage him to not give up as some of the greatest baseball players have been short as well. One day, a team member sprains his ankle and Harold is the only one left to play. Harold uses his small stature to his advantage and helps his team win. This enjoyable story about never giving up will appeal to all kids. Bright colored paintings, in simple colors with wide black outlines, add to the simple charm of this story.

[Matthew]

A fun underdog story about Harold, who's short for his age and can't seem to live up to the expectations of his baseball team. But even in the depths of despair, Harold is told that some of the best players in baseball were short and to not fear, that his time will come. And it does. I really love Hoff's artwork, I only wish the story was more about Harold working harder to obtain greatness, rather than greatness coming to him as luck, but I guess luck plays a big part in everything. Good book for kids who like baseball (I've never met one yet who enjoys baseball more than watching paint dry) or who feel like an outsider in a field they enjoy. My rating - 3/5

[Christy]

Of all the players in the little league, Harold was the littlest.

No matter how hard he tries, Harold is no good at baseball. The ground balls always bounce over his head, and his little legs never get him to the pop flies fast enough. So the only place Coach Lombardi puts him is on the bench. Until one day, during a very important game, Harold gets his big chance to show that being little isn't so bad after all.

[Kristina]

I really liked this book. I think that there is a good message in this book that younger kids can relate to. Often times we can be overlooked based on how we look or what others think we can or cannot do. This book deals with this topic in a cute way. This book is an AR book for anyone who might want to know. I would recommend this book to others.

[Moumita Nandi]

A good one which also tells a story of a kid who thought his size will matter in a game and eventually able to overcome his fear and winning his team gaining other's respect.
Dont agree this is a Level 1 read because of some complex words. My 4 year old could only read about 70%.

[Wilson Denton]

I can tell that the book l read was one of the best books in the city and it is so good that it was really great 👍

[Elizabeth Plav]

Cute. Dated, but I enjoyed Syd's illustrations, from the time period.

[Krista]

A Syd Hoff book that I wasn’t familiar with. As always, fun illustrations and fun story to read aloud. 5 stars!

[Andy Febrico Bintoro]

The story is simple with several new vocabularies for K2 or P1 children. The baseball maybe not that famous in several countries, but overall it's okay.

[Adam]

(read aloud by himself at 5yo, missed one name, ‘Leon’.)

[Anne]

Found in School Starter Kit: Library Edition

[Danette]

3/4/17 Read with Julia.

[Olivia]

The illustrations in this book are adorable. It consists of bright colored paintings, in simple colors with wide black outlines, add to the simple charm of this story.

Summary: Harold is the smallest player on his little league baseball team. His teammates don’t appreciate him and he spends most of the season sitting on the bench. He goes through a lot of sadness and disappointment, but it all turns around for him. Harold uses his small stature to his advantage and helps his team win.

Response: The story proves that even the smallest players can be just as important to the team and that the size of a person is not everything. It also proves that with hard work and dedication one can accomplish anything they desire. But, you have to believe in yourself and not let others bring you down.

Classroom Usage: a good book to deal with bullying and how not to act. Cute story to show that the students need to have good sportsmanship and not act mean just because someone might be smaller. Students could also try to provide alternate solutions to the text if the team acted differently to the smaller player.

[Sarah]

Little guys can do big things too! No matter what the big guys say!

[Scott Roark]

A typical story of a boy who is playing baseball and isn't the strongest player. He wants to play, but because he is smaller than the rest of the team, he never gets his chance until another player gets hurt; and of course it's in the playoffs. This book would be good for a child who experiences similar events due to his/her stature. If bullying starts to be a problem in class, the teacher could read this book and have students talk about what feelings the boy may have had. Students could also try to provide alternate solutions to the text if the team acted differently to the smaller player.

[Kathryn Hogan]

Very cute. The story proves that even the smallest players can be just as important to the team and that the size of a person is not everything. It also proves that with hard work and dedication one can acomplish anything they desire. But, you have to believe in yourself and not let others bring you down. Also, a good book to deal with bullying and how not to act. Cute story to show that the students need to have good sportsmanship and not act mean just because someone might be smaller. I truly enjoyed reading it.

[Marcy Morgan]

The Littlest Leaguer
By Syd Hoff
1976 Windmill Books and E.P.Dutton
ISBN: 0525615369
Genre: Easy Reader
Level: 1-3

Everybody loves an underdog! Harold was the littlest player in the little league and his teammates thought he did not belong on the team. But Harold did not give up! He tried the infield, the outfield, and batting, but ended up the bench, "wearing out the seat of his pants." Finally it was the last game of the season. Will Harold get to play?

[Winta]

This book is about a little boy in a baseball league who was made fun of and sat on the bench because he was so short. This book teaches that we can overcome our weaknesses if we work hard and believe we can! A student who plays baseball would probably understand this book more than a child who has never played, although the moral of the story would be understood regardless.

[Jamie]

Longer but good book about being good enough. First grade level. It teaches that everyone is important no matter how small, or even if they don't seem talented enough at first and using your strengths- in this case making what seemed to be a weakness into a strength.

[Becca]

This was my favorite book as a kid. I lost the original one that my sister and I used to share, but I found it on ebay and ordered a copy. It's a great one in my opinion.

[Rebecca]

I'm glad the Littlest Leaguer really showed up all the mean kids at the end, and he didn't even do it smuggly.

[April Scheivelhud]

This is a nice easy reader book for a first grader. The story line is simple. The little boy is a benchwarmer throughout the whole book. He hangs in there, and surprises everyone at the end.

[Katie Fitzgerald]

No review.

[Ashlee]

I really liked reading this book with my son. It is an easy reader but not as boring as some of the other introductory books. He likes baseball and so this book was perfect.

[Kyra Boettcher]

The book was ok. The book was about a little kid who was the littlest on his team. He could never catch a ball or hit one either. If you read this book you will see what happens

[Grant Stephens]

This book would be a good book to use to show a class that even small people can make a difference. It could also be used to help describe bullying in schools.

[Julie Cardillo]

Title: The Littlest Leaguer
Author: Syd Hoff
Illustrator: Syd Hoff
Genre: Early Reader
Theme(s): Baseball, Team, Size, Everyone is good at something, Bullying, Judgment
Opening line/sentence: “Of all the players in the little league, Harold was the littlest.”

Brief Book Summary: This easy read is about a young boy named Harold, who is the smallest player in the league. Due to his size, he has trouble finding something he is good at and gets picked on by the other players. Though his coach benches him, he reassured Harold and his family that there’s many good baseball players that were short. Big Leon, the best player, gets hurt leaving the bases loaded and Harold is the only one who can bat. Two strikes pass, but then he strategizes making the pitcher throw 3 balls. To everyone’s surprise, he hits a grand slam and wins the game and everyone’s respect.

Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Carrie Hane Hung (Children's Literature )
Poor Harold, he is the littlest player on the team; ground balls sail and fly balls speed over him. He makes an effort to find his place on the team by taking care of the bats and beverages for his teammates but in his heart, he really wants to play. Coach Lombardi tries to help Harold understand that size is not what matters and that some of the Baseball Hall of Fame players were short. One day, the game for the title of Little League Champion arrives. The score is tied, zero to zero, bases are loaded, all the pinch hitters are sick, and it is up to Harold to go to bat against the pitcher, Knuckles Smith. Can Harold use his size to his advantage? Younger children may enjoy hearing this story of an underdog who finds a way to utilize his size and smart thinking. The illustrations provide some support for early readers to read independently with moderate support. 2008 (orig. 1976), HarperCollins, $16.99. Ages 5 to 8.
(PUBLISHER: HarperCollins $16.99., PUBLISHED: 2008 (orig. 1976)(HarperCollins $16.99., PUBLISHED: 2008 (orig. 1976)))


Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Horn Book Guide
Hoff, Syd The Littlest Leaguer
48 pp. HarperCollins 2008. ISBN 978-0-06-053772-2
(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Reissue, 1976. "Of all the players in the little league, Harold was the littlest." Because this is a Syd Hoff book, we can rest assured that in the big game, bespectacled Harold will save the day. Hoff's ability to tell an interesting story with a minimum of words is unsurpassed.
Easy Readers; Sports--Baseball; Size; Self-actualization

Response to Two Professional Reviews:
The first review notes that this is a enjoyable to read because it’s the story of the underdog who uses his size to his advantage. I agree and think that children can actually relate to this. I know I related to this because I had the same problem when I first started playing softball. The next review praises the author’s ability to tell such a good story in minimal words. I thought that the author did a great job with this too because the text is so simple, while the message is not so simple.

Evaluation of Literary Elements:
I do like how the coach reassures Harold and his family about size not mattering and that many good baseball players were short. What I don’t understand is why he benched him. I don’t think that sent a good example for readers to see; I wish the coach would have tried having him play catcher or at least something. The illustrations were simple and cute, while showed the characters actions and emotions very well.

Consideration of Instructional Application:
I think this would be a good book to teach about loving yourself and not judging others for how they look. Too many children are bullied for being too short, too tall, too skinny, too fat, etc. so I would do an activity where my students can embrace things that they feel insecure about. Similarly, I could have my students make a list of things that they are good at, since everyone is good at something!