That Sweet Diamond is a book that contains only baseball poems. I only enjoyed a couple of poems. Most of the other poems were relatively boring to me as I don't really like baseball. The illustrations were no better. They were done in pastels, a bad choice in my opinion, as it made the images look too distorted. If you're a fan of baseball, you may enjoy the poems so give it a try. ( )

5Q3P I gave That Sweet Diamond a 3P, but I think the popularity rate will be higher for kids who are interested in poetry or baseball. It's really hard to imagine a sweeter collection of poems, perfect for the season. They made me want to sit in the stands on a hot day, drink a beer, have a hot dog, jeer at the opposing team. I love baseball and I miss it. Reading this collection made me remember how much.
I think baseball is a subject that it's easy to get weepy or sentimental about. But these poems are bright and funny with only a hint of nostalgia. That's not to say they lack substance. They are evocotive of a hot summer day at the stadium, full of love for the game without resorting to hero worship or maudlin Americana.
Each poem is from a different perspective or about a different aspect of the game: the pre-game excitement, the pitcher, the hitter, the lonely infielder, the vendor, the epic spit. ( )

Great collection, good interesting poems, short and sweet, Booklist

A fun anthology of Paul Janeczko's baseball poems. He touches on themes from players, umpires and fans all with the spirit of the game. Something for all ages and any fan. ( )

Annotation:
This book of poetry is about the game of baseball and obviously written by a great fan of the game. The poems are about all the different aspects of the game including “Before the Game”, about the different players and their positions and the cleanup after the game. There is even a poem about how to spit! This is a great book of poems for girls or boys who love baseball.

My Review:
This is a wonderful book of poems about baseball. The poems are short and easy to read and understand. I like that the poems are about all the different aspects of the game. There is a natural progression of the contents beginning with the beginning of the game, a poem for each position on the team including the empires and the excited fans. The book ends with the clean-up after the game is over and the fans have left the ballpark. This would be a great selection for a child’s introduction to poetry.

The illustrations are colorful but impressionistic in style. However, the message is clear – baseball is an action sport and at times the action blurs.

Other Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus review would have inspired me to find the book. Kirkus states – “These poems have sweetness and rhythm, and focus on the game itself, perhaps with minor league or local players; . . “ They are correct, there is a sweetness and rhythm to the poems. The reviews states that the players, vendors, and even the elderly woman who marks times in her life to baseball events – “Born the year that Yankee Stadium opened. .” are a part of the game. This review would definitely steer me toward this selection.

From School Library Journal by Renee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ
Suggested ages for this book is reviewed as interesting to Grades 3 through 8. I agree with this assessment. She also comments on the rhythm of the poems. As I have stated above, she comments on the illustrations – “Each poem is printed on a page facing an illustration done in an impressionistic style that gives the illusion of movement”. She suggests that this would be a popular selection for Spring. ( )