Awards:
- ABA's Pick of the Lists
- California Young Reader Medal
- California Golden Kite Honor Book
- Jefferson Cup Honor Award [Virginia]
- NCSS-CBC Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
- Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children
- Working Mother Magazine Best Book

Publisher Synopsis: It’s 1932 and everyone is struggling through the Great Depression. When the resourceful young narrator of this story discovers that his father is jobless, he decides to become a newsie. He and his friend Jacob figure out how to sell more papers than the other kids. Many more. Because they’ve got Babe Ruth to help them. Business is soon booming and, thanks to the Babe, they even get a chance to see a Yankees game.

LESSON: THE BABE AND I

Lesson Summary

During the Depression, a boy sells newspapers to make money for his family's savings. He sells the papers by the Yankee Stadium and is lucky enough to meet Babe Ruth.

Concept: Savings

Definition: Savings is the part of a person's income that is not spent for goods and services or used to pay taxes.

Comprehension Questions

Explain why it was difficult for the family to save money in the story.
It was during the Great Depression and many people did not have jobs. Therefore, people didn't have extra money.

Explain how the boy helped the family save money.
He sold newspapers and put the money he earned in the savings jar.

How did he increase the amount of money he made?
He yelled out about "Babe Ruth" and sold the papers by the Yankee Stadium so Babe Ruth fans would buy the papers. He borrowed a baby carriage to transport and sell more newspapers.

Why was it important for the family to save?
The family could pay for the goods and services it wanted to buy.

Describe the effect of Babe Ruth on the boy's business.
The boy sold newspapers to people who wanted to read about the many home runs and great playing of Babe Ruth. People would not buy papers from the boy in other parts of town.

Other Concepts: Scarcity, Producers, Consumers, Price, Supply and Demand, Profit

  Savings 

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