Mark McGwire

I used this biographical book in conjunction with a baseball unit that I was teaching in my second grade classroom. Of course the initial appeal of the book to the students was the biography subject, Mark McGwire. The students were able to understand the text during a read aloud and enjoyed the photos. The book has an interesting layout and is a good read-aloud for 2nd or 3rd grade. As an educator I appreciated the book not only for the biographical information but also for the underlying message of the book. Mark McGwire touches on a variety of topics including losing your temper, needing to see a counselor, and trying your best even through times of adversity. I would recommend the book highly. Weeks after our baseball unit has concluded, Mark McGwire - Slugger is still a hot book in our reading center. The children are reading it over and over again.