A pre-Title-IX story about a young tomboy who, although she plays a better game, is left out because she is a girl. The girls name is Dandy but everyone calls her Dan. She day dreams of being a superstar baseball player. After school she races home to change out of her dress, that she is required to wear to school. She runs back to the field only to be turned down because she is a girl. She finds out that the Kansas City A's are looking for a new batboy and there is going to be an essay contest to win the spot. Dan gets excited but then finds out the contest is for boys only. She enters the contest anyway as Dan. She wins but once they find out she is a girl they told her she couldn't win and that rules are rules. She received a jacket, cap, and a bat instead. She continued to play baseball with the boys and out scored them most of the time.
Cute story. A true story none the less. The illustrations were very old-timey, like of the period she was writing in. A good girls can do anything book, but I was disappointed that she didn't get to be the batboy. I wanted a happier ending. It ended somewhat abruptly. ( )

Booklist 8/1/2008 ( )