The Hero Two Doors Down: Based on the True Story of Friendship Between a Boy and a Baseball Legend

I gave it as a gift. So I cannot review it properly.

I teach 5th grade English, and my students loved this book! More of an easier read for them, but the themes we were able to highlight were perfect. Introductions to Jim Crow, Negro League Baseball, and the Civil Rights Movement and Robinson’s contributions to an integrated society. Most interestingly, this book also presented themes of religion. The end of this book takes place during the holidays. The main character’s family lives in a Jewish neighborhood, and the last few chapters take place around the first night of Hanukkah. The family even participates in a mitzvah, which presented an opportunity for my class to participate in a mitzvah. (We made holiday cards for the community.) Perfect book for students to read in between Thanksgiving and winter break!

Great book . 4th and 5th grade

I read this book to my son who has a difficult time reading due to dyslexia. His intelligence level and reading level do not correlate well. This book is one of the best books that I have ever read to my son and that I have ever read. This book deals with many of society's issues that we are experiencing today in a very positive hopeful way. Reading this book with my son opened the opportunity for us to talk about things that he was thinking about and experiencing. He liked the book so much that he had me buy a copy for his principal, his regular teacher, his reading teacher, and the school counselor.

Our 11-year old son, who not only has enjoyed playing baseball for the last 4 years, but also wears number 42 on all his jerseys, loved reading this book. For his age, he said it was easy to read and kept his attention. He even learned a few things about Jackie Robinson that he had not already known. He enjoyed getting this book as one of his birthday presents this year.

This book is for Baseball fans. I bought it thinking that it might be interesting for my son to read about a friendship/mentorship. The story of what happens with the people gets weighed down with a lot of drag about historic detail that doesn't help move the plot along. So I thought I'd read it and tell my son the story. I couldn't get through it. The author uses too many historical facts in the places where she is supposed to be building suspense. And it just takes too long to get to the satisfying parts of the story. This is a "book report" book that you could read to get a good grade with. It also wonderful in the characterization of a good, moral, honest role model and friend for children. The adult characters are safe and wholesome to introduce to your young ones.

I have had the greatest joy to have had this book read to me by my 9 year old grandson. Because of covid and school has been disrupted, my grandson has asked if he could call me daily to read. He selected this book and it now is one of his favorites. The story has given us many wonderful conversations, for many reasons, but most of all for his love of baseball. I highly recommend this book for baseball lovers as well as anyone that might struggle with fitting in. It warms the heart for sure.

The story is great…at least the pages you can read are. Several pages are blurry with smudged ink while other pages lack ink at all. The print is so light it’s difficult to read in several places. Very disappointed in the quality of this book.