"Going to a baseball game? Don't expect the teams to care about a rookie's first home run. But do watch for Bryce Harper's bat tapping ritual each time he's up for bat. But first, slide into the ins and outs of good fun and good luck in baseball. With engaging text and striking photos, this book will delight young sports fan with some of the best and weirdest practices on the field and in the stands"-- Gr 4-6-This series is proof positive that it's only a weird superstition if it doesn't work! While all sports are built on tradition, perhaps some of the most serious superstitions are in baseball and hockey. From in-game "rules" like avoiding pitchers during a no-hitter to "curses" like the Chicago Cubs' famous curse of the billy goat, there's no shortage of finger-crossing in baseball. Hockey has its own unique quirks, like players growing playoff beards and tapping the goalie's pads for good luck. Basketball and football have their own oddities, both at the collegiate and professional level, like Steph Curry's curious habit of chewing his mouthguard and the tradition of awe-inspiring battles between HBCU marching bands, most of which are even more highly anticipated than the football games themselves. With fun, engaging writing, this series is a surefire hit for most libraries. VERDICT A winning first purchase.α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. This series is proof positive that it's only a weird superstition if it doesn't work! While all sports are built on tradition, perhaps some of the most serious superstitions are in baseball and hockey. From in-game "rules" like avoiding pitchers during a no-hitter to "curses" like the Chicago Cubs' famous curse of the billy goat, there's no shortage of finger-crossing in baseball. Hockey has its own unique quirks, like players growing playoff beards and tapping the goalie's pads for good luck. Basketball and football have their own oddities, both at the collegiate and professional level, like Steph Curry's curious habit of chewing his mouthguard and the tradition of awe-inspiring battles between HBCU marching bands, most of which are even more highly anticipated than the football games themselves. With fun, engaging writing, this series is a surefire hit for most libraries. VERDICT A winning first purchase.--Abby Bussen, Muskego Public Library, WI "School Library Journal" Elliott Smith is a freelance writer, editor and author. He has covered a wide variety of subjects, including sports, entertainment and travel, for newspapers, magazines and web sites. He has written a nonfiction book about the Washington Nationals and a children's book about Bryce Harper. He lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife and two children.