“With all the bases covered — musical text, entertaining artwork, and surefire subject matter — this title bats 1,000 for group or lapsit read-alouds.” — School Library Journal
Randy Riley loves two things: science and baseball. When it comes to the solar system, the constellations, and all things robot, Randy is a genius. But on the baseball diamond? Not so much. Then, one night, Randy sees something shocking through his Space Boy telescope: it’s a fireball, and it’s headed right for his town! Randy does the math, summons all his science smarts, and devises a plan that will save the day in a spectacular way. Once again, with visual humor, dizzying perspectives, perfect pacing, and rollicking rhyme, Chris Van Dusen delivers a hit that will make readers stand up and cheer.
Chris Van Dusen is the author-illustrator of DOWN TO THE SEA WITH MR. MAGEE, A CAMPING SPREE WITH MR. MAGEE, and IF I BUILT A CAR. He says, "When I first read Mercy Watson to the Rescue, the characters were very vivid in my mind, and they just came to life when I started painting. This is exactly the type of story I love to illustrate – a wonderfully silly adventure with lots of action." This is his first book with Candlewick Press.
View titles by Chris Van Dusen
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Not available for sale:
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• United Kingdom
Van Dusen’s tale is inventive and humorous. Randy is a lovably nerdy genius who is admired for his brains and is part of a team that doesn’t seem to mind his poor batting average. Gouache paintings use clean crisp lines and sharp, bright colors in a variety of perspectives. Everything from the cars in the driveways to the living-room décor places the events in pre-computer, mid-20th-century America. A cunning twist on the heroic home run that wins the game. —Kirkus Reviews
With all the bases covered-musical text, entertaining artwork, and surefire subject matter-this title bats 1,000 for group or lapsit read-alouds. —School Library Journal
Randy may be an easy out with a bat, but his heroism merits a spot at the heart of any budding geek’s lineup. —Booklist
In this retro rhyming tribute to mind over batter, Van Dusen casts a wide net: anyone who's a fan of nerds, "Casey at the Bat," classic science fiction, or mid-century design should find something to like in these eye-popping pages. —Publishers Weekly
Children will enjoy the adventures of a young boy who used his love of baseball to save the day. —Library Media Connection
Young Randy Riley has two passions: science and baseball. But he's more of a student than an athlete. As Chris Van Drusen puts it in verse: "See, Randy was a genius;/he just couldn't hit the ball./He struck out every time at bat./He wasn't good at all." But when Randy spies through his "Space Boy telescope" a massive fireball hurling toward Earth, his way with robots saves more than a game. In science fiction, there's more than one way to hit a home run. —USA Today
Chris Van Dusen's RANDY RILEY'S REALLY BIG HIT won me over at first swing... There's a cool retro feel to this sci-fi rhyming book along with some gloriously comic special effects. It's just scary enough to be a page turner and brings a whole new twist to kids and baseball. —The Boston Globe
With a nod to "Casey at the Bat," a dash of science geek, and the impending destruction of the earth, RANDY RILEY'S REALLY BIG HIT has something for everyone. —Huffington Post Parents blog
“With all the bases covered — musical text, entertaining artwork, and surefire subject matter — this title bats 1,000 for group or lapsit read-alouds.” — School Library Journal
Randy Riley loves two things: science and baseball. When it comes to the solar system, the constellations, and all things robot, Randy is a genius. But on the baseball diamond? Not so much. Then, one night, Randy sees something shocking through his Space Boy telescope: it’s a fireball, and it’s headed right for his town! Randy does the math, summons all his science smarts, and devises a plan that will save the day in a spectacular way. Once again, with visual humor, dizzying perspectives, perfect pacing, and rollicking rhyme, Chris Van Dusen delivers a hit that will make readers stand up and cheer.
Creators
Chris Van Dusen is the author-illustrator of DOWN TO THE SEA WITH MR. MAGEE, A CAMPING SPREE WITH MR. MAGEE, and IF I BUILT A CAR. He says, "When I first read Mercy Watson to the Rescue, the characters were very vivid in my mind, and they just came to life when I started painting. This is exactly the type of story I love to illustrate – a wonderfully silly adventure with lots of action." This is his first book with Candlewick Press.
View titles by Chris Van Dusen
Rights
Available for sale exclusive:
• Afghanistan
• Aland Islands
• Albania
• Algeria
• Andorra
• Angola
• Anguilla
• Antarctica
• Antigua/Barbuda
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Aruba
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Bahamas
• Bahrain
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Belize
• Benin
• Bermuda
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bonaire, Saba
• Bosnia Herzeg.
• Botswana
• Bouvet Island
• Brazil
• Brit.Ind.Oc.Ter
• Brit.Virgin Is.
• Brunei
• Bulgaria
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Canada
• Cape Verde
• Cayman Islands
• Centr.Afr.Rep.
• Chad
• Chile
• China
• Christmas Islnd
• Cocos Islands
• Colombia
• Comoro Is.
• Congo
• Cook Islands
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• Curacao
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Dem. Rep. Congo
• Denmark
• Djibouti
• Dominica
• Dominican Rep.
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Gui.
• Eritrea
• Estonia
• Ethiopia
• Falkland Islnds
• Faroe Islands
• Fiji
• Finland
• France
• Fren.Polynesia
• French Guinea
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Georgia
• Germany
• Ghana
• Gibraltar
• Greece
• Greenland
• Grenada
• Guadeloupe
• Guam
• Guatemala
• Guernsey
• Guinea Republic
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Heard/McDon.Isl
• Honduras
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Indonesia
• Iraq
• Isle of Man
• Israel
• Italy
• Ivory Coast
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Jersey
• Jordan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Kuwait
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos
• Latvia
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libya
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macau
• Macedonia
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mali
• Malta
• Marshall island
• Martinique
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Mayotte
• Mexico
• Micronesia
• Minor Outl.Ins.
• Moldavia
• Monaco
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Montserrat
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• New Caledonia
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Niue
• Norfolk Island
• North Mariana
• Norway
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Palau
• Palestinian Ter
• Panama
• PapuaNewGuinea
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Pitcairn Islnds
• Poland
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• Qatar
• Reunion Island
• Romania
• Russian Fed.
• Rwanda
• S. Sandwich Ins
• Saint Martin
• Samoa,American
• San Marino
• SaoTome Princip
• Saudi Arabia
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Sint Maarten
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• South Sudan
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• St Barthelemy
• St. Helena
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent
• St.Chr.,Nevis
• St.Pier,Miquel.
• Sth Terr. Franc
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Svalbard
• Swaziland
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Syria
• Tadschikistan
• Taiwan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste
• Togo
• Tokelau Islands
• Tonga
• Trinidad,Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan
• Turks&Caicos Is
• Tuvalu
• US Virgin Is.
• USA
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• Unit.Arab Emir.
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Vatican City
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Wallis,Futuna
• West Saharan
• Western Samoa
• Yemen
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
Not available for sale:
• Australia
• Cuba
• Iran
• Ireland
• New Zealand
• North Korea
• United Kingdom
Photos
Praise
Van Dusen’s tale is inventive and humorous. Randy is a lovably nerdy genius who is admired for his brains and is part of a team that doesn’t seem to mind his poor batting average. Gouache paintings use clean crisp lines and sharp, bright colors in a variety of perspectives. Everything from the cars in the driveways to the living-room décor places the events in pre-computer, mid-20th-century America. A cunning twist on the heroic home run that wins the game. —Kirkus Reviews
With all the bases covered-musical text, entertaining artwork, and surefire subject matter-this title bats 1,000 for group or lapsit read-alouds. —School Library Journal
Randy may be an easy out with a bat, but his heroism merits a spot at the heart of any budding geek’s lineup. —Booklist
In this retro rhyming tribute to mind over batter, Van Dusen casts a wide net: anyone who's a fan of nerds, "Casey at the Bat," classic science fiction, or mid-century design should find something to like in these eye-popping pages. —Publishers Weekly
Children will enjoy the adventures of a young boy who used his love of baseball to save the day. —Library Media Connection
Young Randy Riley has two passions: science and baseball. But he's more of a student than an athlete. As Chris Van Drusen puts it in verse: "See, Randy was a genius;/he just couldn't hit the ball./He struck out every time at bat./He wasn't good at all." But when Randy spies through his "Space Boy telescope" a massive fireball hurling toward Earth, his way with robots saves more than a game. In science fiction, there's more than one way to hit a home run. —USA Today
Chris Van Dusen's RANDY RILEY'S REALLY BIG HIT won me over at first swing... There's a cool retro feel to this sci-fi rhyming book along with some gloriously comic special effects. It's just scary enough to be a page turner and brings a whole new twist to kids and baseball. —The Boston Globe
With a nod to "Casey at the Bat," a dash of science geek, and the impending destruction of the earth, RANDY RILEY'S REALLY BIG HIT has something for everyone. —Huffington Post Parents blog