The Greatest Game Ever Played by: Phil Bildner and illustrated by: Zachary Pullen

Ages: 5+

Sam and his Pop love baseball, especially the New York Giants. However, in the spring Pop loses his job. His new job takes up a lot of time, so they are unable to attend games together. Then they get the worst news of all, the Giants were moving to California. Sam gets a job selling newspapers, and discovers football. Sam receives two tickets to the championship football game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts, and invites his Pop to go with him. His Pop is not excited, but goes with Sam anyways. Sam, and surprisingly Pop, get into the game and cheer loud for the Giants. They end up having a great time at the game. Will this be the best game ever played? Find out in The Greatest game Ever Played.

The Greatest Game Ever Played recounts the 1958 NFL championship game. The writing in this book is wonderful. There is quite a bit of text, but it is detailed and captures all the excitement of the game. It is fast paced, and will keep the readers attention because they will want to find out what happens. The illustrations are wonderful, and are fun to look at while reading a great story. They match the energy of the text. The illustrations are very detailed, including the facial expressions of the characters. They capture the action throughout the game and the reactions of the fans. The author includes a note at the end of the book. It gives the history of the 1958 NFL championship game and its importance/significance to the growing popularity of professional football. This is a great addition to the book where the reader can learn more about the greatest game ever played. The father-son relationship bound together by sports is a warm, realistic portrayal. This is a story of great football, and the reader will learn many facts and famous names of football players. This is also a story of a father and son finding the time to have fun together and bond. I would recommend this book to any reader looking for a great sports book about football. The Greatest Game Ever Played can be enjoyed by both children and adults alike.