Uncle Drew and the Bat Dodger — Thomas Cochran

Learn about the man behind the myth of Bopeep of the Negro Leagues!

Nine-year-old Teddy Caldwell of Oil Camp, Louisiana, is having a bad day. He just hit a solid line drive right into his neighbor's window! And not just any neighbor -- the window belongs to the mysterious Mr. Weems. When the old man suddenly appears with the ball in hand, a surprising friendship begins. The two start a correspondence centered on baseball, and Teddy learns about the Great Depression, the Negro League, and what it meant to be black during the time of Jim Crow racism from his new friend, Uncle Drew Weems. The long and winding tale features Bopeep Shines, who leaves a promising career to go barnstorming across the county with Uncle Drew at his side. Through the course of the summer, Teddy begins to discover his own place in the world and develop a moral code that will support him for years to come.