How Oscar Indigo Broke the Universe
by David Teague, published 2017
“Try keeping your eyes on the ball when you swing,” suggested Miss Ellington. She had a habit of sneaking up on him and giving him batting tips.”
This children’s book has a great mix of time travel, mystery, science fiction, and good baseball. A very unusual combination, making this a very interesting children’s book. It has many surprises along the way, and a very satisfying conclusion. It has so many moving parts that it will keep young readers interested all the way through.
I don’t want to give away too much, but it is especially gratifying to have both genders equalized and celebrated in the baseball world through this book. It will be a hit with the young people who love baseball, but you don’t need to love baseball to love the way it turns out. An older woman holds an important secret of universe: the key to time itself, and she turns out to be more than we expect. And Oscar’s friend Lourdes proves that you can’t judge people by how they appear outwardly.
One aspect of the lighthearted drama in this children’s book is the question of integrity. What does it mean to win something when you know you didn’t really win it on your own? Does it still count? How do you feel inside? These kinds of questions are worthy of discussing with your child as part of reading this book. A very valuable area of exploration lies ahead for any readers, probably best from 8 to 11.
