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Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man by David A. Adler (Author), Terry Widener (Illustrator); Voyager, 2001

Ages 6-9

David Adler writes a beautiful tribute to the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig. The New York Yankees first baseman was one of the best baseball players of all time. He never missed a day of school for 8 years, and he never missed a baseball game. He set the record for playing the most consecutive games: 2,120 games. (later broken by Cal Ripken, Jr.) Gehrig was diagnosed with a rare deadly disease on his 36th birthday, but he never complained or made excuses. Steadfast and courageous, Gehrig inspired many people all the way to his final days. The illustrations by Widener are amazing and will make you feel as though you're in the stands cheering Gehrig on.

Hop on over to Anastasia Suen's picture book of the day blog for the nonfiction Monday roundup!

citycatinwindow offered up a meme of 5 things about her grandfather. My mom and I lived with my grandparents for more years than we lived alone so this one struck a chord with me.

1. My grandfather was an alcoholic who quit drinking many years before I was born, before my mom was born even. As a result he had several oral fixations like sucking on hard candies and chomping on the end of toothpicks.

2. He worked for county roads doing survery work. This mean he got to come home for lunch a lot. He always started off the day with his lunch packed in his black lunch box. I loved it when he would come home and still eat what my grandmother had packed. It was almost always the same. The red thermos filled with coffee that had turned golden when he added milk. A couple of sandwiched wrapped in waxed paper. A pair of cookies, usually sugar cookies. Sometimes chocolate chip. Always store bought. His favorie sandwich? Spam.

3. He was a hunter and a fisherman and we always had a freezer full of catfish and ducks and pheasant. I was no good at cleaning fish but sometimes he'd let me pluck the ducks.

4. I love to watch him shave. Sometimes he would let me help. I would stand on the toilet seat so I could reach and dab the brush into the shaving cream and help smear it all over his face. When he was done he would pat on the Old Spice aftershave and lift me down.

5. He died when I was 10 years old. I remember his giant body sagging against the nubby red couch and growing smaller and smaller as the cancer ate away at him. I didn't go to his funeral. I don't know why my mom and my grandmother didn't make me. I wish they had. An arguement about prayer and my grandfather is what inspired my first picture book, Can I Pray With My Eyes Open?