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Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings
Inspired by the life of pioneering female baseball player Alta Weiss, and dramatized by Terry Widener’s bold illustrations, Girl Wonder tells the unforgettable story of a true American original.
Alta Weiss was born to play baseball, simple as that. From the age of two, when she hurls a corncob at a pesky tomcat, folks in her small Ohio town know one thing for She may be a girl, but she’s got some arm.
When she’s seventeen, Alta hears about a semipro team, the Independents. Here’s her big chance! But one look at Alta’s long skirts tells Coach all he needs to know—girls can’t play baseball! But faster than you can say “strike out,” Alta proves him Girls can play baseball!
Alta Weiss was born to play baseball, simple as that. From the age of two, when she hurls a corncob at a pesky tomcat, folks in her small Ohio town know one thing for She may be a girl, but she’s got some arm.
When she’s seventeen, Alta hears about a semipro team, the Independents. Here’s her big chance! But one look at Alta’s long skirts tells Coach all he needs to know—girls can’t play baseball! But faster than you can say “strike out,” Alta proves him Girls can play baseball!
40 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
3 people are currently reading
162 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Hopkinson
97 books368 followersI write nonfiction and historical fiction, picture books, and Golden Books. I speak at school, libraries, and conferences. I also love to garden and offer manuscript critiques. (Deborahhopkinson@yahoo.com)
NEW books in 2024 include DETERMINED DREAMER: THE STORY OF MARIE CURIE, illus by Jen Hill, ON A SUMMER NIGHT, illus by Kenard Pak, TRIM HELPS OUT and TRIM SAILS the STORM, illus by Kristy Caldwell, EVIDENCE! illustrated by Nik Henderson, and a nonfiction work called THEY SAVED THE STALLIONS. I'm delighted to say that Trim Helps Out, Trim Sails the Storm, On a Summer Night and Evidence! are all Junior Library Guild selections.
I live and work in Oregon and travel all over to speak to young readers and writers.
NEW books in 2024 include DETERMINED DREAMER: THE STORY OF MARIE CURIE, illus by Jen Hill, ON A SUMMER NIGHT, illus by Kenard Pak, TRIM HELPS OUT and TRIM SAILS the STORM, illus by Kristy Caldwell, EVIDENCE! illustrated by Nik Henderson, and a nonfiction work called THEY SAVED THE STALLIONS. I'm delighted to say that Trim Helps Out, Trim Sails the Storm, On a Summer Night and Evidence! are all Junior Library Guild selections.
I live and work in Oregon and travel all over to speak to young readers and writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 1, 2013
Hopkinson, D. (2003). Girl Wonder. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.
Sub Group: Gender Roles
Genre: Fiction
Topics: baseball, father daughter relationship
Synopsis:
Girl Wonder, is a great picture book about a girl who loved to play baseball. Not only did she love baseball, but she could play the sport very well. She went through her entire childhood and teenage years playing baseball, and ended up joining an all-male, semi-pro baseball team.
Sub Group: Gender Roles
Genre: Fiction
Topics: baseball, father daughter relationship
Synopsis:
Girl Wonder, is a great picture book about a girl who loved to play baseball. Not only did she love baseball, but she could play the sport very well. She went through her entire childhood and teenage years playing baseball, and ended up joining an all-male, semi-pro baseball team.
February 1, 2017
Text-to-World
This book is based on a true story. I categorized it as text-to-world due to all of the women's right issues in today's society. Alta Weiss was a young girl that wanted to play baseball. The men made fun of her and doubted her ability. She had to prove to them she did. She ended up playing for a semipro team in Ohio. She went on to become one of the first women doctors in the early 1900's.
I'm still waiting on the first female pro ball player.
This book is based on a true story. I categorized it as text-to-world due to all of the women's right issues in today's society. Alta Weiss was a young girl that wanted to play baseball. The men made fun of her and doubted her ability. She had to prove to them she did. She ended up playing for a semipro team in Ohio. She went on to become one of the first women doctors in the early 1900's.
I'm still waiting on the first female pro ball player.
March 15, 2024
A nice sportsball story about Alta Weiss becoming a pioneer of women in baseball (though this is only clarified in the Author's Note before the title page, since no one names her within the story). The "innings" are vague "chapters" in the book, which is too short for the chapters to be more than two to four pages each; if this had been about women in basketball, it would be "A Basketball Story in Four Quarters" with about the same arbitrary divisions (but fewer).
Definitely a nice story with great artwork, but it feels weird calling her "Girl Wonder" rather than something specifically tying her to baseball... Pitching Princess? Jill of the Hill? Auntie Charlie?
...okay, maybe I'm not any better at naming, but at least those suggest being related to baseball, rather than some nebulous astonishing thing that happens to be a girl. I don't know.
Recommended for young aspiring pitchers!
Definitely a nice story with great artwork, but it feels weird calling her "Girl Wonder" rather than something specifically tying her to baseball... Pitching Princess? Jill of the Hill? Auntie Charlie?
...okay, maybe I'm not any better at naming, but at least those suggest being related to baseball, rather than some nebulous astonishing thing that happens to be a girl. I don't know.
Recommended for young aspiring pitchers!
June 28, 2017
When Alta Weiss throws a corncob at a tomcat chasing her favorite hen, folks know one thing for sure: she may be a girl, but she's got some arm. At the age of six Alta can nail any target, and by seventeen she's outpitched every boy in town. Then one day her father takes Alta to Vermilion, Ohio -- home of the semipro baseball team called the Independents. "Where do I sign up?" she asks. But one look at Alta tells the coach all he needs to know: She's a girl, and girls can't play baseball. But faster than you can say "strike out," Alta proves him wrong: Girls can play baseball!
August 9, 2018
As a girl who loves baseball, though one no where near as talented as Alta Weiss, I knew I would love this book from the moment I read the subtitle.
I love how Hopkinson divided the narrative into nine chapters or innings. She could have just let the narrative flow and the story would still run its course fairly well. It would have have had the same pizazz if she had done that, however.
The illustrations by Terry Widener also appear to have marinated in the history and culture of the time. They form the perfect compliment to Hopkinson's narrative.
I love how Hopkinson divided the narrative into nine chapters or innings. She could have just let the narrative flow and the story would still run its course fairly well. It would have have had the same pizazz if she had done that, however.
The illustrations by Terry Widener also appear to have marinated in the history and culture of the time. They form the perfect compliment to Hopkinson's narrative.
July 30, 2020
This is a great story about perserverence and proving others wrong when they don't accept you or believe in you! Alta Weiss is a girl who loves baseball and proves to have great talent and work ethic for the sport. When she tries out for a semipro team and proves everyone wrong she makes history. If not for her courage, Alta would never have had the opportunity to prove herself and her skills to the world.
November 20, 2017
Girl Wonder is a story about a biography about Alta Weiss who proves that girls can play baseball despite claims that they can't. This is an inspiring story that teaches that you should always go after your dreams; don't let anyone tell you that you can't. It would be great in a 2nd grade classroom for teaching comprehension as well as new vocabulary.
April 22, 2018
There's a lot to this little book. First of all, it is a great introduction to Alta Weiss, turn of the century baseball player and future doctor who was decades ahead of her time. Great illustrations. The nine inning format is a little cluttering and might not translate well to read-aloud, but still a delight for young baseball fans.
Featured on the No Extra Words Podcast Episode 108.
Featured on the No Extra Words Podcast Episode 108.
March 29, 2018
I chose to read this book because it is always nice to see books written about women that have been successful in sports. Specifically, breaking the stereotype that “girls can’t play baseball.” I liked this book because it was a cute picture book recounting Alta’s time playing ball, impressing all those that once doubted her ability.
April 2, 2018
The Girl Wonder book is an amazing book! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. The author does a great job at showing how woman who played sports in the old days were treated. The book showed the evolution of woman athletes. Great history book. Also a fun way to teach about the importance of woman history!
December 3, 2018
Being a girl, I was proud of this book. I love a good story about women break down barriers and showing the world that women can do things that men do! Women do not have to wear dresses and cook in a kitchen to be considered a "real woman". I am glad there is a fun book to inspire the young women of today.
Genre: Biography
Grades: K-3
Genre: Biography
Grades: K-3
June 7, 2020
Excellent! The discussions you could have with this book! First, the idea of non-traditional roles. A girl can play baseball just like Troy Bolton can sing in a musical. There’s a story of persistence, of not letting others get you down, This would pair up well with Teammates, a baseball book about Jackie Robinson. A definite book for my book a day as I think about next year.
May 26, 2018
The story of Alta Weiss, a young woman who pitched for a semi-pro, men's baseball team, the Vermilion Independents. She also became a doctor, graduating from medical school in 1914, the only woman in her class.
December 2, 2018
I feel like this book would inspire a lot of girls to go out and strive for their goals. No matter if that's competing against the boys like she did or just trying to get better every day. This book could even inspire boys as well. Great book to have in the classroom!
June 3, 2021
F&P Book Club book for 3rd grade ... story of Alta Weiss, the first female to pitch baseball for a semi-pro all-male baseball team. Interesting way of writing using 9 innings to show 9 events in her life.
July 26, 2018
This felt like about 40% of a great story.
March 9, 2019
I think young children can get a lot from this story about how people should never be judged by their cover.
Reminded me of A League of their Own.
Reminded me of A League of their Own.
August 23, 2019
this book shares a powerful meaning. if you have not read it yet i think you should
July 15, 2022
Not bad. A little history told in first person about an early girl baseball pitcher.
April 18, 2023
Where is the story?
July 13, 2023
Very cool.
July 8, 2024
A true story about an old time pitching whiz. Book has a timeline of milestones for female baseball players. It's well done, but it doesn't exactly grab kids!
June 14, 2018
Girl Wonder is about a young girl who was told that baseball was a sport for men and men only, but she had a love for the game and so she wanted a shot and so she decided to push through the ridicule and kept on going. Great book to teach about hard work and determination to get to where you want to be.
November 2, 2023
I liked this book because I used to play baseball. I like seeing empowering stories of women doing ‘boy’ things when that was frowned upon.
December 16, 2009
3rd-5th Grade
Debra Hopkins brings this story about a female baseball player on a semi-pro team in 1907 to life with a first person perspective as the reader is Alta Weiss. The book is broken up into nine innings and follows her through to show that she became a Doctor after her playing days. I believe female students will especially like the way that she was encouraged do what ever the boys were doing her whole life. The story shows her love for baseball and the encouragement she received from her family and friends allowed her to have the confidence to try what most thought impossible. The illustrations add a sense of whimsy as the people were almost caricatures. Each page has a feel as if it were painted on the page.
Social Studies/ Social Emotional Learning – A lesson can be built around women that were influential in society. Have students research some of the women that were pioneers in there areas and report on their findings.
Debra Hopkins brings this story about a female baseball player on a semi-pro team in 1907 to life with a first person perspective as the reader is Alta Weiss. The book is broken up into nine innings and follows her through to show that she became a Doctor after her playing days. I believe female students will especially like the way that she was encouraged do what ever the boys were doing her whole life. The story shows her love for baseball and the encouragement she received from her family and friends allowed her to have the confidence to try what most thought impossible. The illustrations add a sense of whimsy as the people were almost caricatures. Each page has a feel as if it were painted on the page.
Social Studies/ Social Emotional Learning – A lesson can be built around women that were influential in society. Have students research some of the women that were pioneers in there areas and report on their findings.
April 14, 2015
Personal Reaction - I like this book very much because this story is based on the true story of a girl and the illustrations are very detailed in expressing feelings.
Purposes-
Read aloud to K-2 children for several potential purposes:
- The girl has shown her braveness by playing baseball though some people were pessimistic about her playing. She has overcome gender discrimination and finally showed her ability by playing baseball successfully. It will help children to have braveness against social prejudice and keep going toward their goals.
- The illustrations especially show each character's detailed facial expressions. It helps children to have a better understanding of conflicts between people.
- This book personified animals and objects. This expression enhances children's imagination.
Purposes-
Read aloud to K-2 children for several potential purposes:
- The girl has shown her braveness by playing baseball though some people were pessimistic about her playing. She has overcome gender discrimination and finally showed her ability by playing baseball successfully. It will help children to have braveness against social prejudice and keep going toward their goals.
- The illustrations especially show each character's detailed facial expressions. It helps children to have a better understanding of conflicts between people.
- This book personified animals and objects. This expression enhances children's imagination.
October 8, 2013
This book does an outstanding job of immersing the reader in the era of the early 1900’s. From the illustrations of Alta in her blue middie dress to the representations of the front page articles printed about her at the time, the reader is left with no doubt that we are talking about an historical period pre-dating today’s world of baseball. This is an inspiring book that encourages the reader with the idea that if you believe in yourself, regardless of what others may think, and you keep pursuing your dream, you just may achieve it.
Age: 5-8
Winner of 2003 Parents Choice Gold Award
Jane Addams Honor Award
Children's Literature Choice
NCSS - CBC Notable Social Studies Book
Age: 5-8
Winner of 2003 Parents Choice Gold Award
Jane Addams Honor Award
Children's Literature Choice
NCSS - CBC Notable Social Studies Book
August 17, 2023
Published by Scholastic, Inc.
A fictionalized life story of Alta Weiss (1890-1964) who played semi-professional baseball and worked as a physician.
I wondered what her actual story was--of how she became a baseball player and a physician. I discovered that information in a short synopsis in the Author's Note at the beginning of the book. As indicated in the Author's Note, more can be learned about her and other female baseball players in the book Women at Play by Barbara Gregorich and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum website, www.baseballhalloffame.org and at www.womenplayingbaseball.com.
A fictionalized life story of Alta Weiss (1890-1964) who played semi-professional baseball and worked as a physician.
I wondered what her actual story was--of how she became a baseball player and a physician. I discovered that information in a short synopsis in the Author's Note at the beginning of the book. As indicated in the Author's Note, more can be learned about her and other female baseball players in the book Women at Play by Barbara Gregorich and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum website, www.baseballhalloffame.org and at www.womenplayingbaseball.com.
February 19, 2010
The main character, never given a name, tells her "against the odds" story of playing baseball and beating down the idea that girls can't play.
This story is divided up into nine innings starting from when the author was two years old to a grown woman. This realistic fiction book is an inspiration, especially to girls, that you can beat down everyone's doubt if you put your mind to it. The book would be great for a read-aloud in a lower level elementary school classroom, maybe for an opening activity while discussing important people who made a difference.
This story is divided up into nine innings starting from when the author was two years old to a grown woman. This realistic fiction book is an inspiration, especially to girls, that you can beat down everyone's doubt if you put your mind to it. The book would be great for a read-aloud in a lower level elementary school classroom, maybe for an opening activity while discussing important people who made a difference.
March 12, 2011
Alta Weiss started throwing corncobs at the age of 2. First throwing corncobs at the cat and then pitching at targets on the barn. Alta loved baseball and was good at it. Her family supported her desire to play baseball. She was so talented that she was allowed to pitch for a semi-pro all male baseball team at 17. At the end of her second season with the Vermilion Independents, Alta is accepted, and attends, medical school, the only woman in the class of 1914. The book follows her life in 9 innings, with a great back cover photo of Alta getting ready to pitch...in a skirt!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews