Moe Berg: The Spy Who Played Baseball

by Carrie Jones

Moe Berg is not a typical baseball player. He's Jewish—very unusual for the major leagues in the 1930s—has a law degree, speaks several languages, and loves traveling the world. He also happens to be a spy for the U.S. government. When World War II begins, Moe trades his baseball career for a life of danger and secrecy. Using his unusual range of skills, he sneaks into enemy territory to gather crucial information that could help defeat the Nazis. But he also has plenty of secrets of his own. . . This must-read biography will appeal to children who not only love baseball but are also interested in spy craft and intrigue! Moe Berg’s amazing life story is finally told in this accessible and captivating read.

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

Hardcover

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

***SO MANY APOLOGIES***

I had been unable to get into my Goodreads account for years. If you have friended me, I have just friended you back (July 2021). If you have messaged me, I'm going to be working through those in the upcoming weeks.

Thank you all for reaching out and I'm so sorry.

Now onto the regularly scheduled bio:

Carrie Jones likes Skinny Cow fudgsicles and potatoes. She does not know how to spell fudgsicles. This has not prevented her from writing books. She lives with her cute family in Maine, but she grew up in Bedford, NH where she once had a séance with cool uber-comedian Sarah Silverman.

The Meyers brothers are from Bedford, too, so you’d think it would make Carrie funnier, coming from Bedford N.H. Obviously, something didn’t work.

Carrie has always liked cowboy hats but has never owned one. This is a very wrong thing. She graduated from Vermont College’s MFA program for writing. She has edited newspapers and poetry journals and has recently won awards from the Maine Press Association and also been awarded the Martin Dibner Fellowship as well as a Maine Literary Award.

Here’s the lowdown about Carrie…

1. Carrie can not drink coffee. It makes her insane. Do not give her caffeine.
2. Carrie is very responsive to loving strokes on the hair, kind of like a puppy. However, do not do this without asking first unless you are a ridiculously handsome man or an editor who is about to offer her a trillion dollars for the first draft of her novel.
3. Carrie is secretly really, really shy even though she’s pathetically outgoing in person. She has a very hard time calling people. So, if you want to talk to her, make the first move. And, if you’re her in-Maine female best friend, Jennifer, do NOT get mad at her because she is so bad at returning emails.
4. Carrie sometimes wears mismatched socks, if you do not think this is cool, do not tell her. You will hurt her feelings.
5. Carrie really, really wants you to like her books. Please like her books. PLEEEAASSSEEEE. She’ll be your best friend forever. That is, if you want a friend who is shy about calling and emailing and who wears mismatched socks and can’t drink caffeine and likes being pet on the head. Hhmmm….
6. Carrie is not above begging.
7. Carrie, like Belle in TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND drinks Postum. It’s for the same reason, too.
8. Carrie loves Great Pyrenees dogs. They are huge and white, and furry and it looks like they have white eyeliner and mascara on, which is way too cute. Do you have one? Send a picture!
9. Carrie lives in Maine. She has a hard time with this in the winter. It is bleak in Maine in the winter. Imagine everything shades of gray and brown and no green anywhere except for in people’s noses. This is Maine in Winter. Maine in summer is the best place in the world, so it’s a trade-off. Feel free to invite Carrie to your house in the winter, but not if it’s in Greenland, Canada, or anywhere north of Florida.
10. Forget that. She’d still probably come.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the coolest Juvenile Biographical picture books out there, representing the secretive life of Moe Berg, a Jewish boy who became a baseball sensation, and then...a spy.

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't feel like the illustrations matched the text of this one. Not sure I've ever read a book in which I noticed something like that before- but for some reason with the seriousness/this level of text, I feel like the illustrations were just too- comic-y? Simple? It just didn't fit for me. I always love learning about someone in history though!

[Penelope Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spy Who Played Baseball was rad. I would recommend it for anyone, but specifically it's probably good for a K-3 reading level. It touches on interesting issues of equity (for example, when he first began playing baseball, his coach suggested he choose a fake name that sounded less Jewish, so for a time he was known as Runt Wolfe. He attended Princeton, where Jewish students weren't allowed to join any social clubs. One club invited him to join with a caveat that you know, he was a cool guy, but he had to promise not to invite any other Jewish people, and he refused.) This is the kind of fucked up stuff that happened/happens in our country and just...nobody talks about it! But the book presents it in a straightforward yet age appropriate way. Good job, book. And then his spy career! Dang! How interesting! I highly recommend.

[Clara Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never heard the story of Moe Berg, who was a major league baseball player and became a spy for the U.S. during World War II. It’s such a fascinating story!
This story presents an age-appropriate explanation of the events that happened during World War II. It also gives context about the experiences of Jewish people in America at this time. It would be good for elementary because it is not too dark but still allows some explanation about this time. The illustrations in this story are very detailed and would keep students interested in the story as well. This would definitely be a good historical book to read to students!

[Kat Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew very little of Moe Berg before I picked up a copy of THE SPY WHO PLAYED BASEBALL. Carrie Jones tells the story of a quirky Jewish kid who went on to learn seven languages (including Greek and Latin), attend law school at an Ivy League, play Major League Baseball, and enlist as a spy during WWII in order to gain intelligence about Nazi-controlled Europe. Cherrington's comic-like illustrations bring an air of playfulness to an otherwise straightforward text.

[Kasi Bly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books about little kids during the time of war are always so sad, however, this one was not as much of a tear-jerker as it was a pretty good read and story into the life of a little boy who played baseball but also enlisted to be a spy during WWII. I think for a children's book this was a pretty informational book all the while not being too dark and or sad for little kids. The plot was very strong and made the little boy a hero by the end of it.

[Syntha Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love when a good book comes out about a little-known piece of history or a not very well known person. I mean, sure we can read a hundreth biography of George Washington, but please mix it up a bit publishers. The illustrations are sure to please, being reminiscent in style to very popular animated TV shows.

[Amy]

I'd heard of Moe Berg because of his years with the Red Sox, but I had no idea about his intelligence, his talent with languages and his role as a spy in WWII. What a fascinating life! The end notes mention that only his sister knows where he is buried...he's still an enigma, despite his very public role as a baseball star.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one a lot. Berg was an interesting, mysterious man and Jones does a good job of capturing that. It left me wanting more. It certainly has been popular with my patrons. They keep checking it out! Baseball, spying, and comic book like illustrations --what more could you want?

[Pam Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learning about Moe Berg was so interesting and provoked so many questions about this mysterious man. It makes you think there was more to him than this children's book presented! Great for kids who are curious and want to learn more about spies, WWII, and Moe's secrets!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait to read this book to my 4th graders. What a great way to initiate age appropriate conversations about discrimination against Jewish people, especially in our current times. I’m shocked at how many of my students haven’t heard of Jewish people or know anything about their persecution.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique biography that spans a few potential fields of interest for children: sports, war history, spying, being Jewish, to name a few...

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A picture book biogrpahy of spy and baseball player Moe Berg who worked in covert affairs during World war II. Easy to follow. Elementary and up.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Ms. Nigeria Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um. This is a cute informative book for children. It's sad how Moe had to use another name because it sounded too, "Jewish". But he definitely did some impressive things before he passed away.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew there was a baseball catcher who spied for the Allies during WWII? This is a fascinating story about an enigmatic and little-known man who did a lot good.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting picture book biography about a man who was quite a mystery. I think it will get kids asking a lot of good questions.

[Anna Gall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grade Level: 3-4
Genre: Biography
Unique Feature: The sentence structure is simplistic, almost sounding too young for older readers, but the content is more complex. There is a decent amount of discussion about WWII and the issues surrounding it, specifically related to the worries surrounding Germany. Because the sentences are not complex, but the content is, I think this book is uniquely suited to struggling readers, who are old enough to handle more advanced content, but perhaps not ready to decode longer books.

[Hannah Learmont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Fiction, sports, and religion
Grades: k-2
Interesting Feature: Talks about a Jewish man who becomes a spy while playing baseball. A quick view of the author can be found at the end of the text in an Afterward.