Book picks similar to
Things Change by Troy Aikman
picture-books
sports
hardcover
autographed
The Three Bears
Feodor Rojankovsky - 1948
This classic Little Golden Book edition of the famous folk tale has had many imitators, but none can measure up to the way illustrator Feodor Rojankovsky brought Goldilocks and the three bears to life.
Change Up: How to Make the Great Game of Baseball Even Better
Buck Martinez - 2016
Currently the play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Blue Jays, Martinez has witnessed enormous change in the game he loves, as it has morphed from a grassroots pastime to big business. Not all of the change has been for the better, and today’s fans struggle to connect to their on-the-field heroes as loyalty to club and player wavers and free agency constantly changes the face of every team’s roster.In Change Up, Martinez offers his unique insights into how Major League Baseball might reconnect with its fanbase, how the clubs might train and prepare their players for their time in “The Show,” and how players might approach the sport in a time of sagging fan interest. Martinez isn’t shy with his opinions, whether they be on pitch count, how to develop players through the minor-league system, and even if there should be a minor-league system at all. Always entertaining, ever insightful, Martinez shares brilliant insights and inside pitches about summer’s favourite game.
Gus Was a Friendly Ghost
Jane Thayer - 1962
Mr. and Mrs. Scott and their twins, Susie and Sammy, lived there too during the summer. Then autumn came and the Scott family left. Which meant Gus had nothing to do but sit around. One day, during a walk, he met Mouse, who was cold and hungry. "Come spend the winter at my house!" cried Gus.Thus begins an unlikely but heartwarming friendship. First published in 1962, children have delighted in this story and other Gus the Ghost books for over fifty years. Seymour Fleishman's sweet, nostalgic illustrations bring Gus, the Scotts and Mouse to life.
Living Out Loud: Sports, Cancer, and the Things Worth Fighting For
Craig Sager - 2016
Time is simply how you live your life.” —Craig SagerThanks to an eccentric wardrobe filled with brightly-colored suits and a love of sports that knows no bounds, Craig Sager is one of the most beloved and recognizable broadcasters on television. So when the sports world learned that he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) there was an outpouring of love and support from everyone who was inspired by his colorful life and his fearless decision to continue doing the job he loved—despite being told that he would have only three-to-six months to live. Since then Sager has undergone three stem cell transplants—with his son as the donor for two of them—and more than twenty chemotherapy cycles.In Living Out Loud, Craig Sager shares incredible stories from his remarkable career and chronicles his heroic battle. Whether he’s sprinting across Wrigley Field mid-game as a college student with cops in pursuit, chasing down Hank Aaron on the field for an interview after Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record, running with the bulls in Pamplona, or hunkering down to face the daunting physical challenges of fighting leukemia, Craig Sager is always ready to defy expectations, embrace life, and live it to the fullest.Including a foreword by Charles Barkley and with unique insight from his son Craig Sager II, this entertaining, honest, and introspective account of a life lived in sports reveals the enduring lessons Sager has learned throughout his career and reminds you that no matter what life throws at you, to always look at the bright side.
Where Do Balloons Go?
Jamie Lee Curtis - 2000
When one little boy accidentally lets go of his balloon, his imagination takes him on a journey...Where do balloons gowhen you let them go free?It can happen by accident.It happened to me.Where Do Balloons Go? has levels of meaning that will speak to kids and adults. An approachable way to explore feelings about loss and change.
The Oak Inside the Acorn
Max Lucado - 2000
Written by New York Times bestselling author Max Lucado, The Oak Inside the Acorn teaches young readers about the incredible miracle inside each of us while reminding us that we were created by God for a special purpose. The story highlights the adventure of a sweet little acorn becoming a big, strong oak tree. Readers will cheer on the growing tree when he can't grow oranges like the orange tree or flowers like the rose bush. Children will read with patient wonder as the tree grows empty branches, and later a very special purpose is revealed.The Oak Inside the Acorn is a wonderful picture book for readers, ages 6-10. Children will learn that:All of God's creations have purpose and contribute to the well-being of othersPatience is a process, and it takes time to grow into all God created them to beThis inspirational story makes an excellent bedtime story and will help children in your life understand all they were created to be.X
Chicken Little and the Big Bad Wolf (The Real Chicken Little)
Sam Wedelich - 2021
No matter how big or bad he is.In fact, she's never even seen a wolf.So when a real wolf shows up and ruffles her feathers, what's a fretful fowl to do: Join the frenzied flock and fly the coop? Or find out if this newcomer is as bad as his reputation?The star of Chicken Little: The Real and Totally True Tale goes toe-to-toe with literature's most famous villain.
Big Black Horse
Walter Farley - 1963
With stunning retro illustrations and Farley's fast-paced text, this gorgeous book will appeal to the nostalgic and adventurous alike. As the sole human survivor of a devastating shipwreck, Alec finds himself alone on a small island with a magnificent stallion, black as night and dangerous as fire. Together they each realize that the other is the key to survival. Thus begins the most famous relationship in horse fiction.
The Very Lonely Firefly
Eric Carle - 1995
It even sees a surprise celebration of light. But it is not until it discovers other fireflies that it finds exactly what it's looking for--a surprise sure to bring smiles to anyone who turn the final page!Lushly illustrated with Eric Carle's trademark vibrant collage art, soothingly told with a gentle read-aloud rhythm, and complete with a surprise sure to "light up" children's faces, The Very Lonely Firefly will fast become a storytime favorite. Read it with a flashlight in the dark or under the table--and watch those fireflies glow!
The Spyglass: A Story of Faith
Richard Paul Evans - 2000
Crops were planted and then failed, houses were built and then neglected, people were impoverished and dispirited. But when a traveler arrives at the crumbling palace, he shows the monarch his kingdom through the lens of an enchanted spyglass -- a spyglass that shows him his kingdom not as it is, but as it could be. The king's imagination is ignited by the spark of faith, and with faith comes hope and change. By sharing his vision and inspiring his subjects to work alongside him, the king restores his land to glory.Faith is at the heart of master storyteller Richard Paul Evans's moving new fable, which is brought to life by the rich, magnificent oil paintings of artist Jonathan Linton. Together, author and artist have created a powerful story that will inspire readers young and old to see their world through the eyes of faith.