Matt Christopher Books

I am a huge fan of Derek Jeter's. That's why I chose this book. I gave it five stars because Matt Christopher described every part of Derek's life accurately. I had already read Derek's autobiography and in that book I learned that his Dad made him sign contracts. In these contracts with his father, Derek had to promise to get good grades -- or else he didn't get to play in any All Star games or anything. Later, dude!

This series in general, and the Jeter book in particular, are great for a 5-10 year old sports nut. I read this with our 6 year old, a chapter a night for a couple weeks.

It's well written and moves quickly.

It makes reading fun by being about something a sports fan kid will really enjoy.

And Jeter in particular is a good story because he's such an great role model for kids -- he crosses racial divides, espouses the virtue of hard work, respect and not taking anything for granted.

Highly recommended

It's a grand slam! Baby. If you like nod slam Yeah baseball you are going to love this book. It's called on the Field with Derek Jeter. It's about a boy who has a fantasy to become the greatest short stop for the New York Yankees. His dreams come true. This book is cool and it is for all Ages. You will like this book but baseball Fans will love this book at One point in he book I all most cried I
recommend this book to you because I am a big baseball fan.

On the Field with Derek Jeter

On the Field with Derek Jeter is my favorite book because it is about my favorite player dreaming to be the player he is today! The setting is mostly on the baseball field. This biography is written by Matt Christopher and he has lots of good biographies. Derek Jeter is the main character and there are lots of people that helped him make his dream come true, like his dad! My favorite part is when he is assigned to the Minor Leagues! The book starts when his mom and dad meet. The theme of the book would be Derek Jeter's comes true. The book starts very exciting even thow it is very serious.
And I think anyone who is a baseball fan or a Yankees fan will love this book!
- Natatlie,9

The book I'm reviewing is At the Plate with Derek Jeter by Matt Christopher. I think this book deserves five stars. This book is a Derek Jeter biography. A problem that occurs in this story is when he's in high school. He almost gets cut from the team. This tells you how Derek Jeter became a pro baseball player. I would recommend this book to anybody.

Emerson N.J. fifth grade student

I purchased this for my grandaughter for her birthday, and since she is really into Tolkein, I'm very pleased with the purchase, tho I have not opened the package, and will just send it on to her. Service was good.

`The Shaping of Middle-Earth' is the fourth volume of Christopher Tolkien's exegesis of his father, J.R.R. Tolkien's unpublished writings which were done before, during, and after the writing of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings'. It is important to realize that beginning with Volume III, `The Lays of Beleriand', these volumes are prepared according to the date on which the elder Tolkien wrote the documents. That this `real world' chronology is roughly parallel to the great ages of middle earth is simply a happy coincidence.

One little niggle I have about the emphasis of `Middle Earth' in the title of both this volume and the series as a whole is that the land, middle earth, is just one part of the whole world in which this mythology is played out. It is basically a great continent, roughly similar to Eurasia in size, surrounded by a single great ocean which is, in turn, bounded by the undying lands. This fact is eminantly clear in the crude maps by Tolkien senior presented in this volume.

What is also eminantly clear in most of these fragments is the great difference in both geography and physics between our world and the world in which middle earth is embedded. There is no sun and no stars, until the stars are created by some of the `gods', the Valar, who are in turn created by `the one', Iluvatar.

The fragments in this volume are mostly early versions of the mythology which was to become the postumously published `The Silmarillion'. As such, it deals with my very favorite character outside of `The Lord of the Rings', the elven lord Feanor who, in a rough parallel to both Adam and Prometheus, disobeys the Valar based on the promptings of the ultimate bad guy in these stories, Morgoth.

Even if one buys the unique physics, cosmology, and pantheon of gods and demigods, the hardest part of this and similar writings is how to deal with Tolkien's handling of evil. How, one wonders, are eight `good' Valar duped by the ninth evil one, who is left to subvert the Valar's most favored creations, the elves, and create all sorts of mayhem in Middle Earth. Even if one introduces the arguments about `free will', one wonders how, if you posit a very real supreme being, Iluvatar (Eru), plus eight comparably powerful beings, such beings would let Morgoth get away with being the cause of all this suffering.

On a ligher note, I find this book an amazing source of poetic inspiration, even more poetic, sometimes than the overtly poetic `The Lays of Beleriand'. There are phrases and paragraphs here and there which sound like they are straight out of a song by Donoven Leitch or The Incredible String Band.

Like almost all the twelve volumes in this series, this is much more a study of fragments than a complete work. Many of the fragments rework the same material, so you find yourself reading the same story over again, in slightly different words. And yet, the power of the created world holds up through the scholarly framework. As with other volumes, there is an excellent index of names at the end of the book and the aforementioned maps are invaluable in understanding the very odd geography of this invented world.

. . . continues in this, the fourth volume of "The History of Middle-Earth" series.

Christopher Tolkien, in his 12-volume "History of Middle-Earth" series presents the notes, stories, fragments, and legends of what was to eventually become "The Silmarillion" in two stages. This book is the final stage of what scholars would consider "The Early Silmarillion"; continuing on the work presented in the two volumes of "The Book of Lost Tales".

If the Tolkien fan is interested in seeing how the mind of the Master developed and progressed his stories, this volume is absolutely indispensable. It is especially interesting to compare "The Shaping of Middle-Earth" with "Morgoth's Ring" and the other volumes of what Christopher calls "The Later Silmarillion".

Once again, thanks is due to Christopher for his labor of love so that we can delve more deeply into Middle-Earth.

I feel like giving this a four for the maps and explaining of the shaping of the earth. I guess I didn't really care much about that cause I liked the evolution of the characters a lot more, but did always like to look at the maps just too get a quick visual to help picture the world that I love. The reason I did give it five stars is because I know most people like this aspect of the whole history, and you will get PLENTY OF INFO on how this world was created.

Now the part that I really liked was all of the globe type drawings, and even more I liked all of the early compressed writings in this. It's kind of funny to watch the evolution of these writings because tolkien would always start out very compessed, then when he rewrote it, it ALWAYS became longer. Then if he did manage to compress it, he would always add something new to the story, or make the tale go from stationery to grim. Then when he tried to add his new idea in like his third rewriting, it never got compressed. So what this means is that he could never completely finish these writings, but on the posotive side we could have anywhere from 3-8 versions of a single writing.

Once again, thank you christopher tolkien for taking the time to publish all of your father's writings, and equal thanks for taking the time to explain these and leave notes.

The Shaping of Middle-Earth concentrates some part of it to actually physically describing the layout of Arda (the World) with some interesting maps drawn by Tolkien in the middle of the book. The book also includes information behind the fall of Morgoth at the end of the First Age.

Very good reading. My eight year old enjoyed the story very much.

Nick and the the Thunderballs can't find a coach for their baseball team so who else offers for the job but NICK'S MOM. Nobody likes the idea at first, but when the team beats the Tornadoes,(Their arch rival) to win the pennant. An extraordinary book that teaches you lessons in friendship as well as baseball.

Nick and the the Thunderballs can't find a coach for their baseball team so who else offers for the job but NICK'S MOM! Nobody likes the idea at first, but when the team beats the Tornadoes,(Their arch rival) to win the pennant. An extraordinary bookthat teaches you lessons in friendship as well as baseball.

My 7 year old son is an avid reader. He loves many books but most of all, books by Matt Christopher. This book started it all. It is a heart-warming story which keeps a child's interest due to the baseball, but is really about a mother and son relationship. I stongly recommend this book!

Nick and the rest of the team are the main characters in the book. The minor characters are the other teams that they play and the friends and family of the players on Nick's baseball team. Nick's baseball team is not very good. This year, they don't have a coach Nick's mom decides to become the coach. The whole team thinks that their team will do even worse. This book really takes place in the 1980's in Nick's town. But could take place anytime and anywhere as long as there is faith, determination and baseball.

The book I am reviewing is On the Field with... Emmitt Smith written by Matt Christopher. I give this book five stars. This book is about a person who loves to play football. A problem in this story is Emmitt Smith breaks his hamstring. Emmitt Smith played running back for the Dallas Cowboys. I'd recommend this book to a friend. Other books written by Matt Christopher are On the Field... with Terrell Davis and On the Court with...Shaquille O'Neal. This book is awesome!

Emerson, NJ Fifth Grade

If you like football and Emit Smith than On The Field With Emmit Smith is a great book for you. It also tells Emmit's life story. It tells where he went to collage and about when he became pro. I like the book because I want to be like Emit. I think it is a good book for people who like sports.

This book is really really good. Its dot life facts about him there all real, the records he set. All about his life and how hard he tried to make it to the N.F.L. and made it. I think its a really good book read it sometime.

I choose this book because I like the Dallas Cowboys. The book listed facts about Emmitt's career, and a little about his life. I think this book is similar to the book The Amazing Bo Jackson.

Emmitt Smith loved football from the time he was a baby. He would play and sometimes be too big to be able to play. In high school, he was a star running back but he had a time where he fumbled a lot. After he went into the NFL draft, the Cowboys, unlike many other teams, thought even though Emmitt didn't have very much speed, he could still be a really good running back. So the Cowboys were able to pick him as the 21st player picked. He became a star and led the Cowboys to three Superbowl victories and won four rushing titles for himself. It is a good book because it tells you about him at every time of his life.

I remember reading this book as a child in the 90s and I loved it then, so for the heck of it I bought it again as an adult and still enjoy reading the great story of the life of the greatest baseball player to ever live. Griffey is the best and Matt Christopher writes this book well and very simple. I recommend this book for your children or if you would like to learn more about the life of the greatest Mariner of all time.

I think this book is a good one because it's talking about
how Ken Griffy Jr. played baseball. His old teamates Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez and Tino Martinez really wanted him to stay in Seattle.
Now he's meeting new teammates like Barry Larkin,Sean Casy,
and Pokey Resse. He's still getting in the playoffs.His father
wanted him in Cincinati. Ken said the Yankees are so easy to beat. He still misses the Mariners.

This book is a good one to read if you like to read about the Seattle Mariners. They list Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez and how they got their victory and got into the playoffs. It talks about when Ken Griffey, Jr. was a kid and how he grew up with his father, who played for the Cincinnati Reds. He practiced with his dad sometimes in Yankee Stadium, until his dad couldn't strike him out anymore. It says who he got married to, his likes, his dislikes. All in all, I rate this a 5 star book.

On a 1 to 10 scale I would give this book a 10 because it is a funny, family sports book. Ken Griffey Jr.'s dream was to play in the major Leagues like his father, and he achieved it.

...I liked this book because I like sports books. I like hockey too that is what this book is about. I liked this book so much that I couldn't put the paperback book down for the whole five days that I read the book. I liked that book also because it was about two very special friends trying to get along with the others on there hockey team even thought Derek was a different race then everyone else. I would recommend this book to anybody that likes the sport of hockey.

I read the book Cool As Ice. I am going to review the book also. I liked this book because it is a sports book. I like the book because I like the sport hockey to. I like the book so much that I couldn't put it down for the five days that I was reading it. I liked this book also because it was about Chris and his friend Derek. I would recommend this book to any person that likes sports.

I read the book Cool As Ice. I am going to review it also. I liked this book because it is a sports book. I especially liked this book because it was about hockey, one of my favorite sports. I liked the book so much that I couldn't put it down for the whole five days that I was reading it. I liked this book also because it was about two very special friends trying to get alkong even thought he is a different race then all the other boys on the hockey team. I would recommend this book to anybody that likes sports especially hockey.

I liked this book because it is a sports book. I especially liked this book because it was about hockey, one of my favorite sports. I liked the book so much that I couldn't put it down for the whole five days that I was reading it. I liked this book also because it was about two very special friends trying to get along even thought he is a different race than all the other boys on the hockey team. I would recommend this book to anybody that likes sports, especially hockey.

My boys (9 and 14) have read many of Matt Christopher's books. All are good, some are great treats. I gave a copy of "The Kid Who Only Hit Homers" to each boy on my baseball team last year. They loved it! This year I am giving each player a copy of Christopher's "Great Moments." I read this collection of great moments (an unassisted triple play in the World Series for example) to my boys and enjoyed every page. We re-read some of the stories they were so much fun. This is a must read for all young/new baseball fans.

I found this book to be very good. Its reading level is 9th grade or so but that didnt stop this 41 year old from enjoying it. The book talks about 9 great moments in baseball and shares a few interesting perspectives on the game. Every fan should know of these charming and touching moments. If you love the game check it out.

In Great Moments In Baseball History, you can learn a lot about some of the greatest players in major league history. Matthew Christopher, the author of this book, put together his view of a 9 tremendous, and courageous pitching performances, hitting clinics, catches, and life stories in this book. Some people who are in the book are strong, courageous, have stamina, but most of all, each person has their own little characteristic different than everyone else's. Anyone who asks me about this book, all I have to tell them is that it is a great read and a wonderful grouping of stories that any true baseball fan can enjoy time and time again.
All of these stories are incredible in their own special way. For example, there is a story about a pitcher who only had one hand and he threw a no hitter against a team who had in the previous week scored 7 runs against him, he showed to everyone that he had courage. Another story describes a pitcher who had cancer and was told that he would never pitch in the majors again, and it would be considered lucky to be able to play catch in the backyard with his son. Against all odds, after just 11 short months he was back in the majors and he was pitching great. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with cancer again and had his arm removed but he is still alive and well. Finally there is my favorite story of Joe Nuxhall who pitched in his first ever major league game at the tender young age of just 15. Although he was nervous he pitched well and was signed to a contract with the Cincinnati Reds at 16 years old (he was the youngest player ever to play major league baseball).
Matthew Christopher added great little details to every story to kind of add some drama to each one. For example, he told the audience how even though Babe Ruth was old and out of shape he could still hit three homeruns in a baseball game and have fun doing so. Another example is in the story of the pitcher with cancer, Christopher added in the detail of how he "might" be able to play catch with his son in the backyard to add some drama to the already dramatic situation. There are also so great word usages in the stories and he places every one of them in the perfect spot to help the reader make sense of everything.
Great Moments In Baseball History is a great book about heart warming, funny, and enlightening stories and people. Every story is different and exciting in that one special way that you can always remember. Also the author describes everything very well and it is easy to understand every word that is being said. Finally you can learn a lot from every person in the book and a piece of their life that may reach out and touch your own life.

Matt Christopher is one of the best baseball writers for young readers out there. This is another notch in his belt. Pick this up.

This book is perfect for the little ones into baseball!! My sons both wanted to keep reading chapter after chapter! It is such a warm, loving story with great values!

I bought this for my seven year old grandson. His parents read it to him over a few nights. He truly got into the story and the suspense and the feelings of the characters. My daughter-in-law said she wished modern books were so engaging for children. No wonder it is still selling.

Good book to use as first chapter book with boys reading (instructionally) at early third grade level. The names are kind of outdated, but it's hard to find a real book at lower reading levels. This one fills the bill.

After reading the first couple of chapters of THE LUCKY BASEBALL BAT, I had to go back to the copyright page to see just when this book was written. After all, the hero of the story, a young boy named Martin and his younger sister Jeannie are invited into the house of Barry Welton, a teenager they had just met after Martin had an unfortunate incident on the ball field that left him sad and disillusioned.

Can you imagine something like this being written in 2004, without sinister consequences? But a brief look indicated that this engaging story was written in 1954; it has been re-released by Little, Brown to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of the first offering of the prolific children's author Matt Christopher.

Indeed, reading THE LUCKY BASEBALL BAT is like stepping into a time warp, similar to viewing an episode of "Leave it to Beaver" or "Father Knows Best." If only we could enjoy those simpler days again, when parents didn't have to worry (as much) about the intentions of strangers; when kids were grateful for small pleasures, such as succeeding in sports, without the distractions of television, computers, or other impediments to childhood. Martin's depiction, as well as the exposition of his family's relationship, is so foreign to modern sensibilities (unfortunately so) that Christopher could well have written his debut book in 1854.

Even the simple illustrations by Robert Henneberger denote an era long gone, before manga became the dominant expression artwork directed at young people.

Martin is the new kid in town, anxious to prove himself on the diamond. First impressions get him off to a poor start until Barry, a star athlete, gives him one of his old bats, which transforms the youngster into a hitting machine and helps change the minds of his formerly ambivalent teammates.

When the bat is broken during a game, Martin, with the help of some other newfound friends, learns that the power lies within him, not in a piece of wood. The lesson seems obvious in today's know-it-all world, but it still has a certain charm, at least to people of a certain age. Indeed, parents (and grandparents) might find this tale more enjoyable than their offspring.

Progress has offered kids and their families vast opportunities. Still, there's something to be said for the simple pleasures of a less hectic period.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (ronk23@aol.com)

This is one the best books i have read in a long long time. I hate to see it end and is one I will reread, as there is so much wisdom contained in it. For all spiritual seekers, seeking the less traveled road. who have not found what they are looking for in conventional settings, know there is more to life than meets the eye.

I just finished reading the latest book from Higher Balance. "Bending God: A Memoir" written by Eric Robison, a member of the Higher Balance staff. The book details the first four months of the author's relationship with Eric Pepin, the founder of Higher Balance. The story occurred over the summer seven years ago, in and around Los Angeles, California.

Let me say, that overall the book absolutely stands alone in many ways. The book is fabulous. It is enjoyable, entertaining, and informative. First, you do not have to be a Higher Balance devotee to read and enjoy the stories. The stories are enjoyable, mesmerizing and told in a way that completely draws you in. The first hand experiences alone are worth the price of admission, but the author also relates stories he was told by older students along the way. For beginning students, the book also lays out a framework of nearly the entire landscape of knowledge that Eric Pepin teaches in the Higher Balance expansion modules, with only a few notable exceptions. For Higher Balance's Star Reach participants and advanced students, there are little nuggets of information in almost every chapter not currently laid out in any other format.

The sum total of these things is very enjoyable and entertaining book that will suck you in and keep you turning the page until the very end. I don't want to spoil the plot, but the last chapter of the book is every bit as dramatic the first chapter. And chapter one begins with a disembodied floating head. Along the way, the book is filled with spiritual information and hard won knowledge. The information and knowledge is enough to keep students studying, thinking about and reflecting on for years. At least one early chapter of the book is so filled with spiritual knowledge that is that some effort is required to keep going. But I think it was important to keep this chapter in its current version to maintain the integrity and structure of the knowledge presented in the book.

This book makes answering the question; if civilization were going to collapse and only one thing from Higher Balance could be saved and passed on to future generations, what would it be, a very difficult question. Until now the answer almost certainly had to be the Foundation course. Now there is some doubt. Some might choose this book instead of the Foundation course.

I highly recommend this book to all my friends, spiritual and non-spiritual alike.

Eric Robison delivers a very explicit and detailed naration of his affiliation with one of the most powerful mystics and visionaries of our time, Eric Pepin, who we are extremely priviledged to have access to. It is a great introduction to the work of Higher Balance and will show you what is possible.

I first read this book back in the 1950's, early 1960's and it has stuck with me ever since. I am thrilled to see that I can still get a copy of it. Believe me, if you can remember one book from your childhood 45 years later, it was some kind of GOOD!!

"Little Lefty" changed my life back in the 1992-93 school year (fifth grade for me), and for that alone the book deserves a 5-Star rating. This was the book, written by the late Matt Christopher (an early childhood favorite of mine), that inspired me to begin a writing career.

This is a story about a little kid named Bill who wanted to play baseball. He is the smallest member on his team, yet he can throw harder than any of the other players, including the regular pitcher. After hearing the story about "Little Lefty," a pint-sized pitcher who made the big leagues, he is determined to work his way up to some playing time. But just when he is about to get his big break, a horse-riding accident sidelines him. Two different worlds come to a head because of this - will he ever get to prove himself on the mound, or will one of his friends (who doesn't play baseball) convince him to just give it all up?

This was the first Matt Christopher book I had ever read, and I was totally enthralled. Shortly after, I said to myself, "I know what I want to do when I grow up. I want to be just like Matt Christopher. I want to write baseball stories." And so began my writing career.

While I have moved onto writing about other subject matters beyond baseball, I still thank my lucky stars that I was lucky enough to stumble upon this book. Matt Christopher's baseball stories became an important part of my life both personally and professionally at a young age, and "Little Lefty" is the one that started it all.

Thank you, Matt Christopher. God bless you, my friend.

This is the best book ever Author Matt Christopher If you like baseball you'll like this book. It is about a boy that is small for his age and left-handed, but he loves baseball so much that he won't quit. He was a very good pitcher, but he only played two to three inninga each game. Because he was so small, the coach didn't play him a lot. He broke his arm riding a horse. He couldn't wait to get the cast offso he could get back to playing baseball. By the end of the season he was well and he ended up winning a big game for his team as the last pitcher. It was my favorite sports book ever!