The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game

An inspiring story of perseverance and the value of a "can do" attitude. Beautifully told and illustrated for the young reader, it encourages children to set their goals high regardless of the challenges they face. This remarkable man, born when Lincoln was president and still active when JFK was in office, made his mark in major league baseball. It's a marvelous biography thoughtfully crafted for children by an author who clearly found much to admire in this extraordinary man. A gem of a book!

This is a unique and special book on so many levels. It is entertaining to children and adults alike with the story of the incredible William Hoy a baseball player "who just happened to be deaf," and how he overcame this disability to be a star. It is the story of a time in history that children should learn about and appreciate. The telling of the story is compelling along with colorful and outstanding illustrations to emphasize the plot. Finally the author has included a summary for adults about Hoy's story and a timeline for history buffs. Librarians, teachers, parents, children and baseball fans can all enjoy this story of a very important but little known baseball player. I look forward to more stories from this author!

I absolutely love this book, and all the children in my life love it also. Nancy Churnin is a master storyteller when it comes to important non-fiction stories. Although I am a big baseball fan and was amazed to learn that many of the baseball signs originated with William Hoy, you don't need to be a baseball fan to enjoy this. You just need to be a fan of wonderful, well written stories!

Heartwarming. From the moment that William picked up that ball in the beginning of the book all the way through till the crowd is giving the silent applause; I was hooked. This story appeals to the sports lover, the underdog, the indomitable attitude, or any child facing adversity.

Wonderfully written and delightfully illustrated, my ten year old baseball star loved it. Story is well sculpted and the character well developed. I should like to have seen a little more about the authorities acceptance or resistance to the use of signs and signals. This is an outstanding read for any child.

I read a review of this book in the Dallas Morning News. I had never heard of William Hoy. One of my grandsons is a real baseball fan, even at 10 years of age., so I ordered us both a copy. It is a great story and we both enjoyed it. I reviewed it at a Book Club meeting. Several others ordered their own copies. We were all inspired!

What a great story to be told! I had no idea about William Hoy until now. Read it to my children, and they absolutely loved it. I absolutely loved it! I recently read this to my 5th and 6th grade students. Same response. Brought up many things to discuss---baseball, sign language, perseverance, treating people unkindly, etc. Churnin is a wonderful narrative nonfiction writer, and I can't wait to read more of her books.

Love this book. Bought it to use as a teach aloud book in my class. Works great. Has lots of good teachable moments.