Some of my happiest recent memories have been made on a baseball field.
As a player, I know that baseball teaches children far more than how to throw, catch or swing a bat. It teaches patience, courage, teamwork and how to keep going when things do not turn out as planned.
As a children’s author, I also know how powerful it can be for a child to find those same lessons waiting inside a story.
When I began writing The Catcher With Heart, I wanted to create the kind of baseball book I would have loved as a child: a story filled with warmth and humour, with a young female player at its heart. Mari has a very big dream, and she must learn that courage is not about never feeling nervous or different. It is about continuing anyway.
There are many children’s books that capture the joy of baseball from different perspectives. Some tell funny and encouraging stories. Others help young players understand how the game works or introduce them to the people who have helped shape it.
Here are seven baseball books for kids who love the game, want to learn more or simply need a little encouragement to keep dreaming big.
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Baseball stories for younger readers
1. Pete the Cat: Play Ball!
By James Dean
Best for ages 4–8
Pete the Cat is ready to play baseball, but the game does not always go his way. He strikes out, makes mistakes and discovers that being a good teammate matters just as much as winning.
This early-reader story offers a simple and positive introduction to sportsmanship. Pete keeps trying, stays encouraging and finds reasons to enjoy the game even when he is not the star player.
It is an especially good choice for children who are beginning to read independently or learning how to manage disappointment in junior sport.
Why kids may love it: Pete is familiar, funny and reassuring. His experience shows that one mistake does not have to spoil the whole game.
Find Pete the Cat: Play Ball! on Amazon
2. Goodnight Baseball
Written by Michael Dahl and illustrated by Christina E. Forshay
Best for younger baseball fans
Goodnight Baseball follows a young fan through the excitement of attending a baseball game, from arriving at the stadium to saying goodnight after the final play.
Its gentle rhyming text makes it particularly suited to bedtime reading. The story captures the sights, sounds and traditions that make a trip to the ballpark feel special, while gradually settling into a calmer finish.
This would make a lovely gift for a young child attending their first baseball game or growing up in a baseball-loving family.
Why kids may love it: It lets them experience the excitement of the ballpark while still working beautifully as a comforting bedtime story.
Find Goodnight Baseball on Amazon
Baseball books that explain the game
3. My Baseball Book
Written and illustrated by Gail Gibbons
Best for approximately ages 4–8
For children who want to know how baseball actually works, My Baseball Book provides a colourful and accessible introduction.
It explains the baseball diamond, player positions, equipment and the basic flow of a game. Gail Gibbons is known for making factual subjects approachable for young readers, and this book gives children the language they need to understand what they are seeing on the field.
It could be particularly helpful for children joining their first team, attending their first game or becoming curious because a family member plays.
Why kids may love it: Clear illustrations make the rules and structure of baseball easier to understand without overwhelming a beginner.
Find My Baseball Book on Amazon
4. My First Book of Baseball: A Rookie Book
By Sports Illustrated Kids
Best for young beginning readers and new baseball fans
Using real baseball photography, My First Book of Baseball introduces young readers to the action, positions and language of the game.
It is designed to be explored by children and adults together, making it a useful choice for parents, grandparents or coaches introducing baseball to a young fan.
The photographic format also makes this book appealing to children who may be less drawn to traditional storybooks but love looking at real players and game-day action.
Why kids may love it: Real baseball photographs bring the game to life and help children connect the words on the page with what happens on the field.
Find My First Book of Baseball on Amazon
Baseball books for older children
5. A Little Slugger’s Guide to the Unwritten Rules of Baseball and Life
Written by Patrick Renna and illustrated by Tommy Parker
Best for young players learning about teamwork and sportsmanship
Baseball has official rules, but it also has lessons that do not always appear in the rulebook.
A Little Slugger’s Guide to the Unwritten Rules of Baseball and Life connects the traditions of the game with ideas children can carry beyond the field. These include respecting teammates, responding to failure, working hard and understanding what it means to play the right way.
It is a useful choice for young players beginning to experience the more competitive side of baseball while still learning how to be supportive teammates and good sports.
Why kids may love it: It treats them like real ballplayers while showing how lessons from baseball can help them in everyday life.
Find A Little Slugger’s Guide to the Unwritten Rules of Baseball and Life on Amazon
6. The Everything Kids’ Baseball Book, 12th Edition
By Greg Jacobs
Best for older primary-school readers
Some children do not just enjoy playing baseball. They want to know everything about it.
The Everything Kids’ Baseball Book explores the game’s history, famous players, teams, terminology and memorable moments. It also includes activities and puzzles to keep young readers engaged.
This is a more substantial option for children who have moved beyond introductory picture books and want to develop their knowledge of the sport.
Because baseball history is always growing, the 12th edition is the version I would choose over older editions still circulating online.
Why kids may love it: It combines information, player stories, activities and baseball trivia in one book they can return to repeatedly.
Find The Everything Kids’ Baseball Book, 12th Edition on Amazon
An inspiring baseball story for kids who dream big
7. The Catcher With Heart
Written by Jamie Stott and illustrated by Roger Haldane
Best for ages 6–10
I could hardly write a list about baseball books for children who dream big without introducing you to Mari.
Mari Conejo is a little rabbit who has always loved baseball. She also has an enormous dream: she wants to become a catcher in the National Women's Professional Baseball League.
Her journey is not always easy. Mari must train hard, find her courage and learn that the thing that makes her different may also be what makes her special.
I wrote The Catcher With Heart because I wanted young readers, especially girls who love sport, to see themselves at the centre of the story. Roger Haldane brought Mari’s world to life through gentle, hand-drawn illustrations filled with warmth, humour and heart.
At its centre, this is a story about courage, kindness, belonging and continuing to chase a dream even when it feels impossibly far away.
Why kids may love it: Mari is determined, funny and wonderfully imperfect. She shows young readers that playing with heart matters just as much as talent.
🇦🇺 Australia & International: Available here
🇺🇸 USA: Available from Barnes & Noble and Amazon
🇨🇦 Canada: Available from Indigo
How to choose the right baseball book for your child
The right book will depend on the child’s age, reading level and relationship with baseball.
A child just discovering the sport may enjoy a photographic guide that explains the field and positions. A new player struggling with mistakes may connect with an encouraging story about sportsmanship. An older baseball fan may prefer facts, player stories and trivia. I've had young readers explain that The Catcher With Heart has helped them understand what baseball terms mean!
When choosing a baseball book, consider whether the child would enjoy:
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a funny fictional story
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real photographs and simple explanations
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baseball history and famous players
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lessons about teamwork and sportsmanship
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a character learning to overcome self-doubt
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a story that reflects their own experience in sport
The most important thing is finding a book that makes them want to keep turning the pages.
More than a game
Baseball has always been full of stories.
Every player begins somewhere. Every confident hitter has struck out. Every courageous catcher has felt nervous behind the plate. The best baseball books use the game to explore much bigger ideas, including resilience, identity, friendship, fairness and belonging.
Whether your young reader already plays baseball or is only beginning to discover it, I hope one of these books earns a treasured place on their bookshelf.
Because sometimes a book does more than entertain a child.
Sometimes it gives them permission to dream.