Take Me Out to the Ball Game: The Sensational Baseball Song    by Jim Burke & Jack Norworth Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2006 (2006) Hardcover      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson What song conjures hot, lazy summer days, with lemonade and hot dogs and friends? Take Me Out to the Ball Game, of course! Pete Hamill introduces this picture book celebration of 'The Song of Summer' (whose well-known lyrics were penned by Jack Norworth), telling us about a time when there was no radio or television, and baseball was America's entertainment. In addition to the verses, historical sidebars and illustrations take us back a century to a time when passion for the sport was high and Jack Norworth was inspired by a baseball poster to jot down the lyrics for his famed song. The book also plays tribute to clean living baseball legend, Christy 'Matty' Mathewson, the country's first sports superstar, who's credited here (by Lawrence Ritter) with changing the public image of baseball, bringing it into the mainstream of American life. At the front of this nostalgic picture book is a reproduction of Norworth's original manuscript for his song, and Albert Von Tilzer's music is included at the back. Take Me Out to the Ball Game is a must have for young baseball fans, and will be appreciated by anyone interested in the history of this ever popular summer song. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews