What do you think?
Rate this book
Magic Tree House #29
A Big Day for Baseball
Meet Jackie Robinson and solve a mystery in the #1 bestselling Magic Tree House chapter book series!
PLAY BALL! Jack and Annie aren't great baseball players . . . yet! Then Morgan the librarian gives them magical baseball caps that will make them experts. They just need to wear the caps to a special ballgame in Brooklyn, New York. The magic tree house whisks them back to 1947!
When they arrive, Jack and Annie find out that they will be batboys in the game--not ballplayers. What exactly does Morgan want them to learn? And what's so special about this game? They only have nine innings to find out!
Discover history, mystery, humor, and baseball in this one-of-a-kind adventure in Mary Pope Osborne's New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House series lauded by parents and teachers as books that encourage reading.
Magic Tree House books, with fiction and nonfiction titles, are perfect for parents and teachers using the Core Curriculum. With a blend of magic, adventure, history, science, danger, and cuteness, the topics range from kid pleasers (pirates, the Titanic, pandas) to curriculum perfect (rain forest, American Revolution, Abraham Lincoln) to seasonal shoo-ins (Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving). There is truly something for everyone here!
Have more fun with Jack and Annie on the Magic Tree House website at MagicTreeHouse.com!
PLAY BALL! Jack and Annie aren't great baseball players . . . yet! Then Morgan the librarian gives them magical baseball caps that will make them experts. They just need to wear the caps to a special ballgame in Brooklyn, New York. The magic tree house whisks them back to 1947!
When they arrive, Jack and Annie find out that they will be batboys in the game--not ballplayers. What exactly does Morgan want them to learn? And what's so special about this game? They only have nine innings to find out!
Discover history, mystery, humor, and baseball in this one-of-a-kind adventure in Mary Pope Osborne's New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House series lauded by parents and teachers as books that encourage reading.
Magic Tree House books, with fiction and nonfiction titles, are perfect for parents and teachers using the Core Curriculum. With a blend of magic, adventure, history, science, danger, and cuteness, the topics range from kid pleasers (pirates, the Titanic, pandas) to curriculum perfect (rain forest, American Revolution, Abraham Lincoln) to seasonal shoo-ins (Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving). There is truly something for everyone here!
Have more fun with Jack and Annie on the Magic Tree House website at MagicTreeHouse.com!
88 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2017
429 people are currently reading
1445 people want to read
About the author
Mary Pope Osborne
526 books2,638 followersMary Pope Osborne is an American author of children's books and audiobook narrator. She is best known as the author of the Magic Tree House series, which as of 2017 sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, including for Osborne's charitable efforts at promoting children's literacy. One of four children, Osborne moved around in her childhood before attending the University of North Carolina. Following college, Osborne traveled before moving to New York City. She somewhat spontaneously began to write, and her first book was published in 1982. She went on to write a variety of other children's and young adult books before starting the Magic Tree House series in 1992. Osborne's sister Natalie Pope Boyce has written several compendium books to the Magic Tree House series, sometimes with Osborne's husband Will Osborne.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
July 10, 2024
If you're a fan of baseball, this book is a home run! Jack and Annie travel back to 1947 and meet Jackie Robinson, learning valuable lessons about teamwork and courage. The blend of historical facts with a fun adventure makes it perfect for young readers who enjoy sports and history. Fans of the series will appreciate the engaging storyline and the opportunity to learn about a significant figure in American history. -Teen Volunteer Adhyyan R.
July 22, 2019
2.5 stars ~
Eh. It could be better. ;P
Eh. It could be better. ;P
January 20, 2018
I have always enjoyed the Magic Tree House series - for the ease and simplicity with which they expose kids to historical events, cultures, personalities, discoveries and even a simple life lesson to draw from... this book attempts the same but the adventure is too simplistic and the usual charm is missing...
The story is written around baseball - with an underlying theme of racial integration - and takes us all back to a game in Brooklyn NY in 1947...
Jack and Annie - who can hardly play the game themselves - participate in the game as batboys, but miss most of the game after they lose their magic caps and are thrown out of the ground... but their chance encounter with 2 kids (twins) gives them a chance to hear the final stages of the game on radio and join in the celebration as Jackie Robinson helps his team win the game in his debut in major baseball league... they are surprised that only part of the crowd cheers for him while the other call out mean things... they discover that he was the first game ever to have an African American play (something they take for granted in their own time), even more surprised to know that they are the first white people to visit the the twins house... thus they witness - first hand - the harsh but true life as it existed before racial integration...
But it's the courage with which Jackie ignores the insults, stays focused on the game and gives his best that really shines thru as the inspiration - not to be afraid of others making fun of you, but rise above what is mean and low, to stand up and simply try your best - always focusing on the good, and keeping your dignity, your self respect...
The story is written around baseball - with an underlying theme of racial integration - and takes us all back to a game in Brooklyn NY in 1947...
Jack and Annie - who can hardly play the game themselves - participate in the game as batboys, but miss most of the game after they lose their magic caps and are thrown out of the ground... but their chance encounter with 2 kids (twins) gives them a chance to hear the final stages of the game on radio and join in the celebration as Jackie Robinson helps his team win the game in his debut in major baseball league... they are surprised that only part of the crowd cheers for him while the other call out mean things... they discover that he was the first game ever to have an African American play (something they take for granted in their own time), even more surprised to know that they are the first white people to visit the the twins house... thus they witness - first hand - the harsh but true life as it existed before racial integration...
But it's the courage with which Jackie ignores the insults, stays focused on the game and gives his best that really shines thru as the inspiration - not to be afraid of others making fun of you, but rise above what is mean and low, to stand up and simply try your best - always focusing on the good, and keeping your dignity, your self respect...
April 30, 2019
This was a fun and easy read for students in the middle elementary grades. The two children in the story are transported in time through their magic tree house to the 1940's when there was segregation. The main characters Jack and Annie are not great baseball players and are nervous for their little league tryouts. When they are transported back in time they are able to see Jackie Robinson play and witness the fight for civil rights. It is an easy and fun read and provides a certain amount of historical context for the reader to empathize with the struggles people of color faced back then.
In my classroom this would be a book I would provide my students to read in my classroom library. Series like this are great for motivating children to read. If they enjoy the books, I say let them read them all they want! This would be a great book to recommend to students who are sports fans. I also think it would be a quick and fun read-aloud for the teacher to share with students. It might spark an interest in the series as a whole and get kids reading.
In my classroom this would be a book I would provide my students to read in my classroom library. Series like this are great for motivating children to read. If they enjoy the books, I say let them read them all they want! This would be a great book to recommend to students who are sports fans. I also think it would be a quick and fun read-aloud for the teacher to share with students. It might spark an interest in the series as a whole and get kids reading.
April 30, 2020
Fun story.
August 16, 2019
What do you do when your 7-year-old grandson hands you the book he just finished and says, "you should read this nana. You would really like it."? You read it of course! And then you find out that these books are really quite good and informative. And they have a good message as well. But the best part is that my geandson would even think to offer me the opportunity to read something he liked!
Read
July 22, 2024Can’t go wrong with a Magic Treehouse. This book, which tells the story of Jackie Robinson, would be a great first introduction to civil rights, racism and intolerance in a way that is very digestible for a young kiddo.
November 3, 2017
What a delightful and clever book! The author expertly brings in the major events and issues, but doesn't allow them to take over the book. Instead, she provides an age-appropriate story with characters, plot, suspense, and a climax. Very engaging and seems to be historically accurate.
February 17, 2023
It was boring. I liked learning about baseball. I didn't like how people were mean to Jackie Robinson just because his skin was a different color. That's so stupid!
Read
September 5, 2025Read this one to my kiddos. This was a great magic tree house story that brought up great discussions with my kids. I love the simple ways this series has brought topics like racism into our evening readings. It’s an easy way to talk about things that happened in history without it feeling so heavy. In a household of differentiating races, it feels nice to have children’s books available that discuss these important topics with my kids.
Read
September 27, 2021I'm not going to rate this - I read it for a class and it's a Magic Tree House book. It's not something I need to rate. However, I do feel like this story - despite having good intentions - perpetuates some harmful narratives. I was definitely reading this with an analytical and critical mind, so I was definitely reading this in a different way.
August 8, 2018
I enjoyed this book because I liked the part when Jack and Annie magically turned into bat boys. I didn't like this book because the manager fired them because he figured out that they were actually kids.
February 10, 2018
Normally I’d rate Magic Treehouse books a 2 or a 3 for what they are. But this one is about baseball and my daughter read it to me! So I’m going with a 5!
January 22, 2021
In my opinion it was kind of boring .
Probably because the last time I read these books I was younger
Probably because the last time I read these books I was younger
April 19, 2021
My son enjoyed it although he already knew the story of Jackie Robinson. I found the book overly simplistic, personally.
April 16, 2023
Of course this book was fun because it’s Magic Tree House. But I really was hoping for some sort of interaction with Jackie Robinson, but you can’t always get was you want.
June 10, 2024
First summer read aloud with the kids!
August 16, 2025
Amazing. This confronted so many issues so casually, it was a great read with my 4yo.
September 16, 2022
4.5 stars
March 2, 2024
“Always keep your eyes on the good, children.”
Such a great story/historical fiction about Jackie Robinson and opens up good convo.
Such a great story/historical fiction about Jackie Robinson and opens up good convo.
Read
April 10, 2022Listened to Audiobook
September 7, 2023
These are getting hilarious
September 18, 2017
it was...
AMAZING!!!
AMAZING!!!
August 12, 2017
It's always fun to go time traveling with siblings Jack and Annie, especially since their adventures allow them and readers to learn a little bit about an important time or place in history. In this case, they receive special ball caps from Morgan the librarian and head to Brooklyn, New York in 1947. The caps make both of them look older than they are as well as allowing them to play the part of bat boys during the baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves. As it turns out, the youngsters have a ringside seat for part of the performance of Jackie Robinson and then get to hear the rest of the game on the radio in the home of a couple of new friends who are big fans of the ballplayer. Later, they realize the significance of that game, the first time an African American played in a major league baseball game, thus, helping desegregate the sport. The youngsters learn about self-respects and doing your best through the athlete's example as they note the segregated seating for fans and hear some of the disparaging remarks directed at Jackie. There are good lessons for students today in his example as well. And for those who are clueless about baseball, there are several pages in the back matter that are devoted to demystifying American's favorite pastime.
November 4, 2017
Osborne, Mary Pope Magic Tree House: A Big Day for Baseball, 75 pgs. CHAPTER BOOK Random House, 2017 $13.99 Content: G.
Jack and Annie are nervous about baseball tryouts, so when they go on an adventure in the magic tree house they find themselves in the year 1947. They are batboys during a game when Jackie Robinson is playing for the Dodgers. They meet new friends and learn about courage. When they return from their adventure they aren’t scared to try out for baseball because they know that it’s okay to try hard things.
I love the Magic Tree House series for many reasons, including that it got both my boys interesting in reading. This book has a good moral that we can try new things and the characters that Jack and Annie meet are inspirational. There are a few illustrations throughout this quick and entertaining chapter book.
EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
Jack and Annie are nervous about baseball tryouts, so when they go on an adventure in the magic tree house they find themselves in the year 1947. They are batboys during a game when Jackie Robinson is playing for the Dodgers. They meet new friends and learn about courage. When they return from their adventure they aren’t scared to try out for baseball because they know that it’s okay to try hard things.
I love the Magic Tree House series for many reasons, including that it got both my boys interesting in reading. This book has a good moral that we can try new things and the characters that Jack and Annie meet are inspirational. There are a few illustrations throughout this quick and entertaining chapter book.
EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
October 10, 2017
Jack and Annie magically travel via the treehouse to visit a very historic day on April 15, 1947. On this day in Ebbet's Field in Brooklyn, New York, Jack and Annie are batboys when Jackie Robinson made history. He was the first black player in Major League Baseball.
Even though Jackie Robinson was booed by some and called nasty names, he held his head high with dignity. He went on to become the Rookie of the Year in 1947 and an All-Star of the game. A Big Day for Baseball is a simple story which introduces kids to great day in baseball.
Includes some facts about baseball and an illustration depicting the positions on the field.
Even though Jackie Robinson was booed by some and called nasty names, he held his head high with dignity. He went on to become the Rookie of the Year in 1947 and an All-Star of the game. A Big Day for Baseball is a simple story which introduces kids to great day in baseball.
Includes some facts about baseball and an illustration depicting the positions on the field.
October 14, 2017
My daughter and I love this series, but this one was not her favorite. She didn't think it had the same level of adventure as the others. I love the message at the end, though. I love, also, that Mary Pope Osbourne deals which diverse historical and geographical topics.
July 31, 2021
Handles the topic of racism and integration well but the magic hats thing in the first half is just weird.
November 29, 2020
1. n/a
2. 2-3
3. In the classic "Magic Treehouse" series fashion, siblings Jack and Annie travel magically back in time to a baseball game in Brooklyn in 1947 where they become bat-boys and meet the historical baseball icon, Jackie Robinson, as he debuts as one of the first black baseball players in the major leagues. Jack and Annie are there to hear all of the harsh heckling that Robinson receives from the crowd, most notably hearing them shout "Go back where you came from!" and "You don't belong here!". When Jack and Annie eventually end up listening along to the radio playing the game that Robinson is playing in with members of a black family, instead of hearing heckling, they hear cheering from them and sense that they are filled with joy and pride.
4. I believe that this book perfectly depicts the environment of this historical day in baseball in such a suitable way from children. I commend this book for approaching the racist views held at the time and making it clear that Jack and Annie find the way that the hecklers treat Robinson to be wrong and extremely harsh. It's also important that the book didn't focus completely on the negatives and instead also included the pride felt by other black Americans as Robinson took the field.
5. As this book focuses on the environment around Jackie Robinson's debut and doesn't give too much detail about the rest of Robinson's biography, teachers could provide more resources of his background and life story for the students to research. Students can then share information they learn on a poster in the shape of a home plate and will be displayed around the classroom. Students will then "round the bases" and see what information their classmates have shared on their posters.
2. 2-3
3. In the classic "Magic Treehouse" series fashion, siblings Jack and Annie travel magically back in time to a baseball game in Brooklyn in 1947 where they become bat-boys and meet the historical baseball icon, Jackie Robinson, as he debuts as one of the first black baseball players in the major leagues. Jack and Annie are there to hear all of the harsh heckling that Robinson receives from the crowd, most notably hearing them shout "Go back where you came from!" and "You don't belong here!". When Jack and Annie eventually end up listening along to the radio playing the game that Robinson is playing in with members of a black family, instead of hearing heckling, they hear cheering from them and sense that they are filled with joy and pride.
4. I believe that this book perfectly depicts the environment of this historical day in baseball in such a suitable way from children. I commend this book for approaching the racist views held at the time and making it clear that Jack and Annie find the way that the hecklers treat Robinson to be wrong and extremely harsh. It's also important that the book didn't focus completely on the negatives and instead also included the pride felt by other black Americans as Robinson took the field.
5. As this book focuses on the environment around Jackie Robinson's debut and doesn't give too much detail about the rest of Robinson's biography, teachers could provide more resources of his background and life story for the students to research. Students can then share information they learn on a poster in the shape of a home plate and will be displayed around the classroom. Students will then "round the bases" and see what information their classmates have shared on their posters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews