About This Book

Video: An Afternoon with Sharon Robinson and Kadir Nelson

When Jackie Robinson retires from baseball and moves his family to Connecticut, the beautiful lake on their property is the center of everyone's fun. The neighborhood children join the Robinson kids for swimming and boating. But oddly, Jackie never goes near the water.

In a dramatic episode that first winter, Jackie is called upon to test the ice on the lake, to make sure it's safe for ice-skating. But why, Sharon wonders, is he always so afraid to go near the water?

In a stunning metaphor for Jackie Robinson's legendary breaking of the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Ms. Robinson honors her extraordinary father's memory with her warm, graceful storytelling. Two-time Caldecott Honor Book artist Kadir Nelson has created richly rendered paintings that radiate with the beauty and spirit of one of America's finest heroes.

About the Authors or Illustrators

Sharon Robinson

Sharon Robinson authored Jackie's Nine, a personal tour guide through the nine heartfelt, hard-won values that helped her father, Jackie Robinson, achieve his goals. Her other children's books include Promises to Keep and Safe at Home.

Read more >

Kadir Nelson

Kadir Nelson is a critically acclaimed artist and illustrator. His children's book awards include the Coretta Scott King Award and the NAACP Image Award.

Read more >