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Does it really matter if you call it a violin or a fiddle? It does to Reginald, a young violinist, who somewhat reluctantly becomes a batboy for the Dukes, "the worst team in the Negro National League." In The Bat Boy and His Violin, Gavin Curtis tells a clever and tender story of the relationship between a father, who is a member of the team, and his son. Set against the backdrop of baseball in 1948, the sometimes touching, sometimes humorous story will appeal to children regardless of their age or interest in sports. Curtis's careful use of language, "I sashay my bow across the violin strings the way a mosquito skims a summer pond," combined with E.B. Lewis's detailed and realistic illustrations spark the imagination.

Reviewed by Jeff Stephens.