By Dan Murphy
Yonkers Public Schools teacher Gavin Curtis recently participated in the districts Read Aloud Day by reading from his own children’s book. Curtis, a 4th grade teacher at School 30-International Studies, wrote “The Bat Boy & His Violin” The title captured our interest, so we purchased and read the book, and spoke to Curtis about it.
The Bat Boy & His Violin is a hidden treasure in the world of children’s books. Curtis was able to bring together a love of baseball with a love of music, and weave them into a thoughtful story about a father-son relationship. The book is also illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner E.B. Lewis who won the Coretta Scott King Award Winner for his designs in this book.
“I’m not a big baseball fan, but it is my favorite sport. I love the lore of baseball and the connection between fathers and sons. I grew up without a dad, but I remember watching other kids with their dads, and how baseball was central in their connection. My big brother took me to Mets games at Shea Stadium, and I wanted to touch on that nostalgia and relationship. I also wanted to revisit the Negro Leagues and that part of our history,” said Curtis.
The book is set in 1948 and Reginald, the main character, is an aspiring violinist. His father, Papa, is the manager of the Dukes, a baseball team in the Negro Leagues. Jackie Robinson had just broken the color barrier in major league baseball and the Negro League is struggling to stay afloat.
Papa, needs a batboy for his team and recruits his son for the job. Reginald brings along his violin and soon the Dukes’ dugout is filled with Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach—and the bleachers are filled with the sound of the Dukes’ bats. Has Reginald’s violin changed the Dukes’ luck—and can his music pull off a miracle victory against the powerful Monarchs?
“I’m not a musician, but I used to play the French Horn in 7th grade. I do like film scores and classical music. When I taught pre-K, took my students to Lincoln Center for a performance, and they loved it,” said Curtis, who wrote the book before he began teaching in Yonkers, when he was a teacher in the NYC schools.
“I wrote the first draft of the story 29 years ago, and it took 4 years for the illustrator to complete it. It came out 25 years ago, and I’m glad that people are rediscovering it, on its Silver Anniversary.”
Curtis has been teaching in Yonkers for 24 years. “I have taught in the 3rd grade; 5th grade, kindergarten and Pre-K before settling on the 4th grade.” Curtis read his book to students at Cross Hill Academy. He is pictured in this story with a Cross Hill student dressed as their mascot.
How do you write a Children’s Book? “You start with an idea, or concept, that comes to you. I was always fascinated with music and the positive impact that it can have on people’s lives, and how it has medicinal purposes with cancer patients. It eases their pain when they listen to music.”
“This book tells the story of how music can have a magical aspect and help a struggling baseball team do better. It also touches on the historical aspect of how the Negro Leagues are coming to an end, adding to the father’s frustration. The book also shows the journey of Reginald convincing his father the value of the violin while serving as a bat boy.”
Curtis explained that a children’s book is usually 32 pages, so 32 illustrations are needed. At the time, E.B. Lewis was not the award-winning, well renowned artist that he is today. “I was looking for something like an evocative baseball movie, like Field of Dreams. He sent me one of his breakout books, and I’m fortunate to have partnered with him.”
Curtis said that he was glad to read his book to students for Read Out Loud day. “Marian Wright Edelman said, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’. As educators, we want our students to be writers and readers, and when they can meet a living, breathing author, it makes it more possible for them to achieve.”
The Bat Boy & His Violin is still in print 25 years later. I was able to purchase the book on Amazon and have it delivered the same day. “It’s rare to still be in print so many years later, but I’m still getting royalties from it,” said Curtis who estimated that more than 10,000 copies have been sold.
While reading this book, I wondered why a short film or movie had never been made. “From your lips to Hollywood’s ears,” said Curtis. “I have had options on another book idea, but it never materialized into animation.”
I would encourage everyone in Yonkers to read The Bat Boy & His Violin. It made me think about the times with my Dad playing catch in the front yard. And if you love it as I did, you will be interested to know that Curtis wrote another children’s book – Grandma’s Baseball, about a fictional grandma mourning the loss of her husband- a baseball player. That book is harder to find in hard cover, but Curtis said they are working on bringing it out in paperback.
