Home Base: A Mother-Daughter Story
Nikki Tate
(Author)
Katie Kath
(Illustrator)
Description
In this empowering picture book perfect for young feminists, a gutsy baseball-playing girl and her bricklaying mom celebrate when love and hard work triumph over nerves. A young pitcher steps up to the plate. A hardworking mom interviews for her biggest job yet. Girls and women aren't always welcome in the worlds of baseball and bricklaying. But with practice, the right gear, and a whole lot of determination, this intrepid mom and daughter thrive under pressure. Readers get to see their parallel narratives unfold in tandem, coming together at the end for a sweet reward: ice cream! With fun, punchy writing and radiant illustrations, this touching story will be a hit for budding activists, kids who love sports, and the moms who cheer them on.An American Library Association Notable Children's Book
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Book
Product Details
Price
$18.99
Publisher
Holiday House
Publish Date
March 24, 2020
Pages
32
Dimensions
8.5 X 11.0 X 0.4 inches | 0.9 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780823436637
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
Nikki Tate was born in Birmingham, England, and spent her childhood roaming the globe. She is the author of more than three dozen books for children. Over the years, she's worked as a book reviewer, a bookseller, a professional storyteller, and a farmer. Nikki's home base is in the Rocky Mountains, but she loves to travel, particularly if she can find a rock to climb or an ocean to sail. Katie Kath graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with an MFA in illustration. Some of the books she's illustrated for children include the Nora Notebooks series, by Claudia Mills. Her books have been recognized by folks like the Bank Street College of Education, the New York Public Library, the Children's Book Council, and the Junior Library Guild. Katie's home base is in North Carolina, where she plays with her dog and cat, draws cartoons, and counts the days until Christmas.
Reviews
★ "A fair-skinned, freckle-spattered mom and her brown-skinned, dark-haired daughter each feel the nervousness that comes with approaching a new experience. In a remarkably sparse text--sentences are often single words and only twice more than three words in length--the pair's story unfolds side by side. . . . Between pages of work, softly textured cartoons show mom and daughter taking respite at home, where it is just the two of them and their cat. While there is much to be done and each is tired at the end of the long days, there is no sense of struggle implied; empowerment abounds. The graphic-novel illustration style, in which windows of alternating action move the storyline forward, adds to the feeling that this duo of everyday heroines is unstoppable. A celebration of female perseverance and success: brava!"--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review "The spare narration perfectly complements Kath's rhythmic watercolor panels, and the independence and mutual support between tattooed mom with her shaved and curly blond hair, and bronze-skinned, long-haired daughter shines through every scene. Kids who gravitate toward Bob Graham's picture books, with their tight-knit, gently norm-tweaking families, will feel right at home."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"This family is real. Red-haired, freckled mom has tattoos and is worrying over meals and bills, but she also is a successful businessperson and skilled tradeswoman. The daughter, of light-brown skin and hair, does her chores and her homework and then is ready to step up to the mound and pitch at Saturday's game. The watercolor-and pastel illustrations depict the concurrent story lines through panels, contrasting the two characters in a humorous and effective way."--Booklist "What's touched on in the text is made specific in Kath's watercolor and pastel illustrations. Daughter's successful base hit is shown opposite two panels of mom's construction project ('Butter. / Scrape. / Smooth'). We feel mom's pride in her handiwork and see it reflected in her smile across the spread from her daughter's own satisfied stance on the pitching mound ('Catch. / Toss. / Grin'). . . . Details such as the umpire's bubblegum bubble as our ballplayer prepares her pitch, or Mom's colorful arm tattoo, add comfort and, for many, familiarity to this welcome and unconventional family story." --The Horn Book
"This family is real. Red-haired, freckled mom has tattoos and is worrying over meals and bills, but she also is a successful businessperson and skilled tradeswoman. The daughter, of light-brown skin and hair, does her chores and her homework and then is ready to step up to the mound and pitch at Saturday's game. The watercolor-and pastel illustrations depict the concurrent story lines through panels, contrasting the two characters in a humorous and effective way."--Booklist "What's touched on in the text is made specific in Kath's watercolor and pastel illustrations. Daughter's successful base hit is shown opposite two panels of mom's construction project ('Butter. / Scrape. / Smooth'). We feel mom's pride in her handiwork and see it reflected in her smile across the spread from her daughter's own satisfied stance on the pitching mound ('Catch. / Toss. / Grin'). . . . Details such as the umpire's bubblegum bubble as our ballplayer prepares her pitch, or Mom's colorful arm tattoo, add comfort and, for many, familiarity to this welcome and unconventional family story." --The Horn Book
