Author: James Buckley, Jr.
Reviewed by Chloe Fuksa
National Geographic produces so many wonderful books for kids, and I recently learned of a particular series from them about sports: It’s a Numbers Game! There are four books so far – for basketball, soccer, football, and baseball – and they each explore different facts and statistics from that sport in a very kid-friendly way.
It’s a Numbers Game! Baseball, for example, was released in 2021 and is divided into different chapters: the basics of the game, hitting, pitching, baserunning, and fielding. Each part has a really neat mix of history, math, and science. There are the historical records, like most career wins for a pitcher (Cy Young, with 511) and most stolen bases in a single season (Rickey Henderson, with 130). Each chapter also explains multiple mathematical formulas, like how to calculate a batter’s on-base percentage or a fielder’s range factor. And lastly, there is the science of the game, like how baseballs fly further in the thin air at Coors Field and how baserunners going from first base to third run in arcs in order to maintain their speed.
Obviously any interested kiddo can pick the book up, but based on the vocabulary and the level of math, the stated age range of 8-12 years old is probably a pretty good bet. The books are full of fascinating trivia, and there are plenty of tips and applications to apply on the playing field and off. Not to mention the sharp-looking graphics and the cool action photos of players too. If you’ve got a young sports lover, especially one who also enjoys math and science, the It’s a Numbers Game! series would be perfect for them.
Visit us in Sunset Plaza or call 580-297-5089 to get your copy of It’s a Numbers Game! Baseball today!
