Thanks to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for this free ARC in return for my honest review.
Not as big a fan on this book as many others seem to be. Good story about differences and that it is a take on a folk tale. Decent illustrations but for some reason it just did not click for me like it did for many others. Could be a cultural thing since I never saw or played stickball other than played on the streets.
Good work and will recommend it to others.

I find this book absolutely wonderful! From the beautiful illustrations to the illuminating writings, The Great Ball Game is an amazing children's book based folklore about the game of stickball. Stickball is perhaps the most underappreciated sport. I cannot thank the author enough for the support of this game.
I grew up watching stickball with my friends. Children and adults played this game that had elements of both hockey and soccer. The tribe I grew up with is not represented in this book, but it is clear that the game of stickball remains a beloved sport.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: November 8, 2022)

“The Great Ball Game” by Rebecca Sheir was such a joy to read with my 8-year-old. She had been learning about different types of animals at school and loved how she could easily identify so many in this children's book.

Since this was an advanced copy, some of the pages still needed the pictures finished, but the illustrations that were complete were beautiful and richly colored. The skillful contrast of light and dark colors was a visual delight!

My daughter instantly latched on to little Bat and was so upset when he was left out of the game. Bat’s expressions were spot-on and so adorable! She loved the ending and the prompts for creating her own story.

Overall, I would highly recommend this children’s book. I can’t wait to see the finished product once it’s published, because I’m sure it will look spectacular!

This is an interesting story for small children about acceptence of others and appreciation of differences.
I especially liked the section at the end about the different version of this story that were told in different tribes.

An inspiring book about being different and respecting others. Animals and birds decide to play a ball game in order to settle their dispute over who is best. During the game, a small creature showing features both of the animals and birds shows up and wants to join the game. But both parties decline the request, and the sad bat returns to the woods - only to come back later as a hero.
I loved how the important message of the story was told in such a simple but convincing way, easily understandable to readers of all ages. Also, the book offers lots of activities at the end - from retellling the story with different outcomings to drawing your own creatures.
A great childrens' book that should not be missing on any picture bookshelf.

The story is very well done, and I especially like the activities at the end to promote the theme. I could see this being a wonderful library or classroom book for young children.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

The e-copy I reviewed was only partially illustrated. What wasn't done had line drawings to show potential scenes. I have no doubt the book will be stunning - the illustrations that were complete are beautiful.

The story is an adaptation of many Indigenous folktales and tells of a battle between birds and land animals to determine who is best. As with all folktales there is a moral to the story.

The last few pages of the book provide some fabulous ways to experience the book and engage with the story. A perfect for daycare and schools!

What a wonderful book! This book has so many wonderful things about it that it is almost difficult to write about them. The story involves a disagreement between the birds and the animals as to which group is better. They decide to have a ball game to decide the matter, with the first goal scored determining the winner. The ball game is lacrosse, which was create by Indigenous people. Just as the game is to begin, a creature none of them had seen before approached and asked which team they should play for. The creature was a bat and didn't fit the opinions of what either the animals or the birds considered themselves to be.

The story is a version of Native American stories which have been passed down through generations. The author found similar tales from Cherokee, Muskogee and Menominee tribes and likely could have found versions in the lore of many other tribes. The illustrations are the work of Joshua Mangeshig Pawls-Steckley, an Ojibwe Woodland artist and member of Wasauksing, First Nation. His art focuses on promoting and reclaiming Ojibwe stories and traditions. The illustrations are wonderfully colorful and reminiscent of traditional Native American art.

The book could be compared to an Aesop fable in that there is a lesson to be learned from the story. I am a fan of Native American stories and find that they always have a good life lesson to be shared. In my opinion, Rebecca Sheir caught the flavor of Native American tales and the combination of her story and Joshua Mangeshig Pawls-Steckley's illustrations is beautiful.

An added bonus is the suggested activities section at the end of the book. There are questions about feeling different, how it is hard and what makes one proud. Activities range from writing and storytelling prompts to the physical - pantomime, relay race and "dance like an animal". I found these activities to be thoughtful and a cunning tie-ins to the story.

A beautiful book that everyone, child and adult, will enjoy.

Thank you to the author, Storey Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this amazing book.

I read The Great Ball Game with my children (11&8). We loved the vibrant illustrations and messages. This story is an adaptation of a Cherokee, Creek, Ojibwe, and Menominee folktale. An argument between animals and birds ensues, resulting in a ball game to determine who is the best. Bat doesn't fit in with either group and neither group wants to claim him. It isn't until a problem arises that both groups see Bat's uniqueness and value.
This a great story about inclusion, treating others the way you want to be treated, recognizing our differences as special, and working together.
The bonus interactive pages are extra icing on the cake. Two thumbs up. 👍 👍

The Great Ball Game is a children’s picture book which is adapted from a traditional folktale that has been passed down among many indigenous peoples in North America. The story is about a great argument between the birds and the land animals over which group was better. They decided to end their debate by having a ball game. Whoever scored the first goal would be considered the best. Before the game can begin, a new animal, Bat, steps forward and asks which team he should be be on for the game. Both sides say that Bat is too different to play for either side. The game begins and lasts all through the day without either side scoring a goal. The sun sets and most of the animals are unable to see in the dark and there are bothersome biting bugs everywhere. Eventually the ball is completely lost. Bat reappears and brings the ball with him. The animals all ask how he was able to find the ball. Bat explains that his differences are what enabled him to find the ball. He then pointed out that all of the birds and animals were actually all different and that those differences are what make them great. The world would be a boring place if everyone was the same. All of the animals agree.
The book also includes some interactive activities at the end of the book for readers to participate in to make it even more.
This book was created by Circle Round, which p is adapts folktales from around the world into song and music rich recordings for kids. There is a QR code to scan to access the podcast episode of this story.
I really liked this story. I love sharing diverse folktales with my students and folktales are a part of the curriculum in my state. I also like the message that everyone’s differences are the very things that make them unique.

Beautiful telling of this classic tale.
Love the art style, especially the bat.
I also love the activities and questions at the end!

This book is a really neat adaptation of an Indigenous folk tale about a ball game. I believe the animals in the story are playing lacrosse, which actually was created by Indigenous groups in New York and parts of Canada! The teams are land animals vs birds and when a bat shows up to join the game the animals reject this potential team mate because he doesn’t quite fit in one group or the other. The story is about inclusion and the idea that differences are not just ok, they can be very helpful! The art/illustrations were done by an Ojibwe artist and are beautiful! I think this is a great book for an elementary classroom library! I would definitely read this book to my students in grade 3 and recommend it to other teachers. I’m Canadian and I think this story would be fine in Canadian classrooms, but I also think it would work in classrooms across the world as an opportunity to learn about other cultures through story.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this fantastic book! I look forward to purchasing a copy for my classroom library!

This is a cute book that talks about how everyone is different and how that makes things more fun and interesting. The artwork was cute, colourful and captivating. There are some extras and questions at the end for a more interactive approach and to incite a discussion time.

This was a great read for my kids. My daughter(6) had some strong reactions throughout particularly to the treatment of the bat. It’s a great way of A) depicting how our treatment of others who are different can make people feel, B) highlighting the importance of our differences and how they make us special, not weird. The illustrations were fun for kids and I’m sure will be awesome once finished.

Read this with my son (7) and he was engaged the whole time. He was especially interested in the bat and liked how they were able to problem-solve to get everyone to join the game. We were able to connect with real-life problems after reading. It's not easy to keep his interest so, that's a huge plus!

I seldom see a book where my first reaction is "cool!", but that's what I got from finishing this one. It's a really clever, warm and welcome publication, which I might have realised before opening it if I'd twigged that it comes from this publishing series, and from experts in junior storytelling (there's a QR code for the audio version included). Tweaking some First Nation American legends, it concerns the great battle for primacy between the birds and the land animals, which is boiling down to one final showdown on the sports pitch – until the voice of the bat pipes up, asking which side he should be on. To his surprise, they collaborate – in saying 'neither', so he naffs off. Making great play of his uniqueness, and therefore of all our uniquenesses, this ticks lots of boxes where wokeness, junior social studies and society are concerned, but does it all with a lovely deft touch. Never being heavy-handed in its moral, it's an ideal blend of the classically ancient (and in fact a story so classic and ancient I didn't know it) and the perfectly modern. Like I say, Cool! Four and a half stars.