Description
In the first volume of this four-book series, Joe Joe is mistaken for a member of a gang of kids that has ransacked a white man's store. Shaken, he takes refuge in a library book about the Negro Baseball League. Inspired by the example of ball player Cool Papa Bell, Joe Joe finds the strength to stand up against false assumptions.
Reviews
"This book is a great one to read when teaching black history. It provides the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues, including lots of facts and real photographs. This is a part of American history and baseball that is often overlooked. It can also be inspirational to children of any race, to teach them to stand up for themselves and to take pride in themselves. Accompanying illustrations of Joe Joe and his family are quite well-done and provide a visual insight into their lives." —as reviewed on Andi's Kids Books blog
"Just Call Me Joe Joe is a highly recommended and strong story of moral conviction and justice for young readers." —Midwest Book Review
"...The volume addresses a genuine need. Families who face difficulties like Joe Joe's and who draw on faith to surmount them will welcome the reinforcement this book offers." —Publishers Weekly
Author Bio
A resident of Detroit, Michigan, Jean Alicia Elster, JD, is a professional editor and writer whose articles have appeared in national publications such as World Vision and Black Child. In addition to the Joe Joe in the City series, she is the author of the young adult novel Who's Jim Hines? (Wayne State University Press) which was selected as a Notable Book by the Library of Michigan. She also collaborated in the manuscript preparation for the award-winning Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue with Today's Youth by Rosa Parks (Lee & Low Books). She is the editor of several books published by Judson Press including Playbook for Christian Manhood: 12 Key Plays for Black Teen Boys by James C. Perkins and Profiles in Black: Phat Facts for Teens by Marvin A. McMickle.
Jean Alicia Elster and her husband are the parents of a son and a daughter.