Young Steve Satlow is a big baseball fan living in Brooklyn in the late 1940s, and he can scarcely believe his good fortune when Jackie Robinson and his family move in nearby. Steve is delighted to help the Robinson family decorate their Christmas tree, and when he says that his family has no tree of their own, Jackie delivers a tree to their house, not realizing that the family is Jewish. After some awkward moments as the two families get to know each other better, Mr. and Mrs. Satlow decide that for that one year, their family will have both a menorah and a Christmas tree. The true story, retold by Jackie Robinson’s daughter, presents some valuable lessons about friendship and acceptance in a gentle way, well-matched with understated watercolor illustrations that capture Jackie’s famous smile. (author’s note) (Picture book. 5-9)
