Honus and Me

“I never knew what was going on with these baseball cards, but I always thought there was something—oh, magical—about them.”

This sets the tone for the story’s fantastical elements. The mention of something “magical” about the baseball cards hints at their extraordinary properties, specifically their ability to transport Joe through time. It conveys the sense of wonder and possibility that baseball cards represent for Joe.

“Until we win the lottery, I’d try to make a few dollars here and there doing odd jobs. Yard work. Raking leaves and stuff. The winter before, Kentucky got a lot more snow than usual, and I made a bunch of money shoveling people’s sidewalks and driveways. I gave some of the money to my mom. The rest of it I spent on baseball cards.”

This passage characterizes Joe as a responsible and caring boy. Despite his youth, he contributes to his family’s financial struggles by working odd jobs. At the same time, he remains a typical 12-year-old, using his remaining money to buy baseball cards. His love for baseball cards is not just a hobby; it becomes the key to his adventure.

“Inside, the house was like one of those historical houses some famous guy lived in and has been preserved just the way he left it when he died. It was filled with antiques, though I don’t know if stuff is still called antique if somebody never stopped using it. The walls were covered with hats and dried flowers and old guns.”

Miss Young’s house is a mysterious setting. The house is a portal to the past, filled with antiques. Hats, dried flowers, and old guns gives the house an eerie quality. The description of the house as “historical” hints to the idea of time travel and the novel’s exploration of history through baseball.