Jackie and Me: A Very Special Friendship

Description

Thirteen-year-old Tania Grossinger lives in the famous Grossinger hotel in New York's Catskill Mountains, but she doesn't feel like a real Grossinger; her cousins own the hotel, and Tania often feels like she doesn't belong. Lots of celebrities come to Grossinger's, but Tania just wants to meet one man: Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League baseball. When Jackie stays at Grossinger's on vacation, he hears that Tania is a terrific ping-pong player. Jackie invites the young girl to meet him for a game at four o-clock-but she doesn't believe he's serious and stays in her room to read. Soon the telephone rings; it's Jackie, wondering where Tania is! When she dashes downstairs to the game room, the famous Dodgers star is waiting for Tania-and this is the beginning of an unlikely but very special friendship Playing ping-pong, drinking soda, going on walks, and ice skating together, Tania learns some important-and simple-life lessons from Jackie. Tania Grossinger's charming true story will appeal to parents and children, girls and boys, avid baseball fans and people who have never seen a game. Jackie and Me offers a unique glimpse into icon Jackie Robinson's life off the field, told from a very special perspective: that of a friend.

Tania Grossinger is the author of the Skyhorse titles Growing up at Grossingers and Memoir of an Independent Woman; An Unconventional Life Well Lived. In addition to having published over 100 travel articles in newspapers and magazines throughout the country, she appeared on the Today show, Good Morning, America, 20/20, NPR, and over 150 national, syndicated and local TV and radio shows. Charles George Esperanza was born the second of six kids. The South Bronx is where he first opened his eyelids. A land shrouded in bright colored decay, the birthplace of graffiti and the hip-hop DJ! Author and illustrator of the Sky Pony title Red, Yellow, Blue (and a dash of White too!) which was a Huffington Post best concept picture book, 2015. He lives in the Bronx, New York.