For all young ball players who often strike out or never seem to make the play, this delightful rhyming journey teaches kids, through baseball, all about the magic of believing in themselves. The wind whirls a magic baseball cap from town to town, bringing special powers to the young players on whom it lands. Great hitting, swift running, fabulous catches and more are bestowed upon cap wearers throughout the story. They experience the remarkable power of success that comes first from the magic cap, but ultimately from gaining their own confidence. Told in rhythmic verse, the story weaves together a variety of educational themes. It takes the reader on a tour of several states, from Maine to Oregon, while following the magic cap’s path as it seeks out youngsters in need of some extra confidence or self-esteem. Animal helpers also lend a hand to its journey as the cap rides to Florida on a duck’s wing and hitches a ride up the Pacific coast on the head of a porpoise. The cap itself is weather-beaten and worn, carrying stains of mustard and chocolate and dust. But that doesn’t stop it from bringing out the magic in several young baseball players. As the story progresses, the reader realizes that the players who don the cap actually make their own magic by tapping their self-confidence. Captivating watercolor illustrations bring the story alive with creative perspectives of the ball fields, young players, animal helpers and famous places passed by the magic cap as it dances through the air on its way to somewhere new.

Playful rhymes bring the story of a traveling magical baseball cap to life in these creative perspectives on ball fields, young players, animal friends, and famous historical sites. Experiencing remarkable success on the baseball diamond when donning the cap—from great hitting to fabulous defense—children from across the country learn that their performance has less to do with the magic of the cap than it does with their developing self-confidence. Weaving together a variety of educational themes, the story also includes a series of memory-evoking questions and light discussion activities that can be used by parents and teachers to extend the message of the importance of building positive self-esteem through sport.

David A. Ham has been involved with baseball for more than three decades as a player and a coach. He is the coauthor of Collective Coaching Wisdom for Youth Baseball. He lives in Ellicott City, Maryland. Janice B. Sibley is an instructional writer and the coauthor of Collective Coaching Wisdom for Youth Baseball. She lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Blair Bostick is an architect and children's book illustrator. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.