January Book Review – The Big Bat

This month’s book feature is The Big Bat, written by Anne Jewell and illustrated by Tony Waters. Local
author Anne Jewell, who also happens to be the Executive Director of the Louisville Slugger Museum
& Factory, takes kids on a journey with the big bat located outside the main entrance of the Slugger
Museum in downtown Louisville.

We are all familiar with the enormously large baseball bat that towers above the rooftop of the Slugger
Museum. But do you know just how big it is? You will discover that by reading The Big Bat. Kids will love
how the story is catered to them because the girl in the story wants a photo of the bat, but it is so large
that it will not fit in her camera’s view finder. The story goes on to tell the reader just how heavy and tall
the bat is – did you know it’s as tall as SEVEN giraffes and that it is hollow? Use your own imagination to
determine how you would fill it up!

Finally at the end of the book, the girl gets her photograph. I love how the story relates to kids and how
very local it is. And during the new year, you might be venturing downtown to visit the Louisville SluggerMuseum. Now when you get your picture with the big bat, you can appreciate it just a little bit more.

My kids and I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Big Bat, learning about the mathematical dimensions
of the bat, and can’t wait to spend some time downtown exploring the museum and factory since we
haven’t done that in a while. I love the local feel that this book brings to mind and how it inspires us
to celebrate our city and all its fabuLOUs offerings! Click here for a link to the publisher where you can
purchase The Big Bat and support a local author.

By guest contributor: Erin