Review of "Saul the Baseball in the Big Game" by Kim LeBlanc

​Score: 93+/100 (9.3+ out of 10)

Do you have a kid in your household who loves baseball?
Are you trying to introduce your kids to this great sport?

Saul the Baseball in the Big Game is a cheerful, imaginative, and fun children's book by Kim LeBlanc!

It seems to be created in order to introduce and educate children about the sport of baseball, doing so in a creative and entertaining way!

This book tackles those tasks by personifying the individual baseballs who get their time to shine in big baseball game!

First of all, did you know that a baseball game can use up as many as 120 baseballs?!
We didn't know that!

We also didn't know that the baseballs in a game were changed so often. That's mindboggling!

Anyway, though this book builds to and spotlights the titular baseball, Saul, it also allows other baseball characters to shine.

Ted is the warmup baseball—the one who gets tossed back and forth before the game really starts. Ted’s big moment is all about helping the pitcher find his rhythm and get comfortable. He represents the warmup phase, where pitchers and catchers get loose and prepare for the action to come. Unfortunately for Ted, a “passed ball” sends him rolling away, and just like that, his job is done before the real excitement even begins. It’s a reminder that even warmups are important (and sometimes unpredictable) in baseball!

Next up, we meet Ruth.

Ruth is the game’s first “star” baseball. She gets pitched to a batter and, with a crack of the bat, is sent soaring high into the air. Ruth represents the classic “fly ball”—those dramatic, crowd-pleasing moments when everyone watches to see if the outfielder will make the catch. Sure enough, Ruth gets caught for an out and then thrown up into the stands as a souvenir. Ruth’s big moment shows kids the excitement of outfield catches and the tradition of giving caught balls to fans.

Then there’s Joe.

Joe finds himself at the center of a classic baseball maneuver—a bunt! When the batter squares around and gently taps Joe, he only rolls a few feet forward. Joe’s brief but important role teaches kids about bunting—a strategic play used to move runners and surprise the defense. Joe’s moment may be quiet, but it’s proof that every play counts, no matter how small.

After that, we have Rico.

Rico is the speedster. He zooms through the action—first getting thrown as a blazing fastball (that wows even the umpire), and then getting hit for a double! Rico represents both the thrill of fast pitching and the excitement of extra-base hits, where players hustle around the bases and fans hold their breath to see if they’ll make it.

Now, it should be briefly mentioned that Rico's name appears to be misspelled as "Ricco" on the illustrations themselves. We think there may have been some slight miscommunication with the illustrator, Afton Jane, who otherwise did a really good job. We're not gonna make a big deal or deduct points for that, it's just something we noticed.

And, again, Afton Jane did a good job with the illustrations overall. They're colorful, bright, expressive, and attractive. They're a joy to look at.

Next, it’s Lynn’s time to shine.

Lynn is all about power and hustle. Lynn’s moment is the triple—one of the most electrifying and challenging hits in baseball. The batter smacks Lynn deep, sending the runner racing around three bases and sliding safely into third. Lynn’s big play highlights athleticism, speed, and the dirt-kicking energy of a well-earned triple.

Following Lynn is David.

David is the ground ball. He’s the one who gets smacked along the infield, with runners hustling home and fielders diving to make a play. David’s sequence showcases the chaos and strategy of infield action—quick throws, dramatic slides, and the constant pressure that makes baseball so gripping.

And finally, there’s Saul.

Saul is the heart and soul of the story, and he gets to play the most coveted part: the home run ball. After watching his friends take their turns, Saul finally gets picked for the biggest moment—coming into the game with everything on the line. With one mighty swing, Saul soars out of the park, delivering a walk-off home run and securing the win for the team! Saul represents the dream of every baseball—the chance to be part of something legendary, to be the ball that everyone remembers.

Each baseball in Saul the Baseball in the Big Game gets their own chance to shine, teaching kids about the different plays, strategies, and unforgettable moments that make baseball so special. By personifying the baseballs, Kim LeBlanc cleverly shows that every role—big or small—matters on the field. And who knows? Maybe your kid will find their own “Saul” moment the next time they step up to the plate!

Anyway, we enjoyed this book overall. We will say that there were a few things about it that were a bit wonky. First of all, we were somewhat bothered by the expressions and reactions of some of these baseball characters, especially upon being hit with the bat or impacting something else. They're wincing and even appear to be in pain at times. We especially noticed this with Lynn and Ted, who really appear to take a pounding!

We're also a bit torn about the rhyming. Most of the time, we really like children's' books (and poetry) that rhyme, but a lot of the rhymes in this book seem a bit contrived (forced). For example:

“Wham! Our Lynn is hit for a triple rip. Fast around the bases—runner, please don’t trip! Sliding into the base, feetfirst in the dirt. The runner was safe and didn’t get hurt."

"...didn't get hurt" seems like a contrivance. And it's also ironic considering that it really appears like Lynn got hurt in this scene, which we mentioned earlier.

But again, we're just being nitpicky at this point.

But we digress. We actually learned quite a bit from this book! Maybe your kids will too!

For example, did you know that baseballs were once made from old shoes? Neither did we! The book also taught us that baseballs used to have hard rubber cores, and that nowadays they’re filled with cork and wrapped in yarn and string. Even the way the balls are prepared for the game is interesting—before each game, the balls are rubbed with special muddy river clay to give the pitcher a better grip. (Who knew?)

We also discovered that there are exactly 216 red stitches on a professional baseball, all arranged in a figure eight. On top of that, the glossary at the end breaks down key terms like “splitter,” “changeup,” “turn the horn,” and even “walk-off win,” so kids (and adults) can sound like true fans by the time they’re done reading.

In short, whether it’s baseball history, quirky fun facts, or simply the rhythm and excitement of the game, there’s something here for every curious kid—and maybe even for their parents, too!

Check it out on Amazon!