Zachary’s Ball by Matt Tavares

What would you do if you caught a foul ball at Fenway Park? For young Zachary, that moment becomes pure magic. When his father hands him the ball, something extraordinary happens—Zachary finds himself standing on the pitcher’s mound in a Red Sox uniform, facing down the mighty New York Yankees. As long as he holds that ball, his wildest baseball dreams become reality.

Matt Tavares’s debut picture book captures the timeless wonder of baseball and the powerful connection between fathers and sons. Peter Gammons, Hall-of-Fame baseball reporter, called it “a children’s classic,” and it’s easy to see why. The story beautifully weaves together the magic of childhood imagination with the very real atmosphere of one of baseball’s most iconic venues.

Published to celebrate Fenway Park’s 100th birthday, this book is a love letter to Boston’s beloved ballpark—the oldest still in use by a major-league club. Tavares’s illustrations bring both the fantasy sequences and the authentic park details to vivid life, making readers feel the crack of the bat and smell the salt air drifting in from the Charles River.

Perfect for young baseball fans, families who bleed Red Sox red, or anyone who remembers the thrill of their first game, Zachary’s Ball asks an important question: when you hold something magical, can you hold onto its power? This heartwarming tale reminds us that sometimes the most precious catches aren’t made on the field—they’re the moments we share with the ones we love.

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