Get your hot dogs, peanuts and baseball books right here! Baseball season is in full swing and I've got several red hot reads for your entertainment right on the sidelines where the sweet smell of fresh cut grass meets dirt and diamonds. The first two books are fiction and are geared for ages 8 and older.

Have you ever gone to a baseball game and NOT ordered a hotdog? That's almost un-American! “Two Hot Dogs with Everything" , by Paul Haven, is a story about 11 year old Danny and his devotion to his professional team, the "Sluggers". In fact, he's so devoted that he tries not to eat too much mustard, sauerkraut and onions depending on who's pitching and “never leave two unfinished hot dogs on the table” . He makes sure that he doesn't step on cracks or cross fingers and arms while standing on one leg and many more folkloric fallacies. Danny is a fanatic fan - full of superstitions. But his favorite team continues to lose, until the day he discovers a package of bubble gum. It seems the gum has magical attributes. Could the gum have these magical properties? It seems every time Danny unwraps another piece of gum and chews it, the team wins. But could it really be connected to the team finally winning? Here is a story that will intrigue you and keep you reading from beginning to end! It is wonderfully written and the few illustrations, by Tim Jessell, add perfectly to the story!

Have you ever played on a little league team? If you live in America, chances are you've played many games on hot summer days. “Out Standing In My Field” , by Patrick Jennings, is told through fifth grader, Ty Cutter's vantage point and is one of the funniest books I've come across in a long time. Mr. Jennings has written the perfect read aloud that will have all listeners smiling, and even laughing out loud. The first chapter sets the smiles immediately as you begin to understand that Ty feels completely out of it in the outfield with his inadequacies, inabilities and loss of balance when it comes to playing baseball. His coach is also his father and adds to his pressure to play well. He actually attempts to avoid the balls that come into his right field zone. Your heart goes out to Ty as he seems to not like the game. But you, along with Ty, will come to a different conclusion at the end of the game, which is also the end of the book making this story a very heartfelt event! I only wish the author could have left out the few mild swear words found in the story.

“Under the Baseball Moon” , by John H. Ritter, is better suited for ages 11 and up and blends a unique style of music and softball to the tune of a story rich in character study. But don't be misled. This is an engaging story from beginning to end that's rich in liquid language that becomes complicated when a stranger in black comes into view. This book's a sure winner!

Now for some inspiring picture books, along with some fun picture books. Let's start with “Hammerin' Hank: The Life of Hank Greenberg,” by Yona Zeldis McDonough. Here's a brief, yet stirring account of the first successful Jewish baseball player. It's an account of Hank's true passion for a sport that as a kid growing up in the Bronx, found him playing every day after school. He wasn't a born athlete but he worked hard to develop the talent needed to finally play for the Detroit Tigers. The illustrator, Malcah Zeldis, grew up listening to the Tigers and Greenberg became her hero. Her vivid paintings glow with her high regard of this great right-handed batter.

“ Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way”, by Peter Golenbock and beautifully illustrated by Paul Lee, is another inspirational story about one of the best baseball hitters in history and who still holds the record for the most career home runs in major league baseball.

“Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates” , by Johan Winter and watercolors by Raul Colon, is a poetic story of the rise of a young Puerto Rican boy who was born into poverty with “no money for a baseball bat, so he made one from a guava tree branch. His first glove he also made, from the cloth of a coffee-bean sack.” He eventually rose to become one of the all time best players of the game. If this story doesn't move you to becoming all that you can be, I don't know what will.

“Luke Goes to Bat” , written and illustrated by Rachel Isadora, is a fictional account of a youngster who, along with the help of the famous Jackie Robinson, decides not to give up on a game he doesn't play very well.

“Hit The Ball Duck”, written and illustrated by Jez Alborough, is a fun and funny story about duck and his friends who have a dilemma when the ball gets stuck in a tree branch.