The Story of Manny Being Manny

The Story of Manny Being Manny: A Children’s Story, captures the spirit and the lovable essence of Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez for both young children and their Red Sox Nation parents alike. Beautifully illustrated and told with a mixture of bemusement and true fondness, The Story of Manny Being Manny recalls off-beat tales from his past – Everyone likes the Green Monster/Manny did too/He found a little door/And walked right through – and encourages readers of all ages to understand that by far the only thing worse than having Manny is not having him. The book begins with a scene from the tough neighborhood where Manny grew up – the Washington Heights part of New York City – but makes sure readers know he was in good hands with a watchful mother and a gift he was only beginning to explore. The book starts its whimsical sequence of recreating actual, hard-to-explain occurrences in the slugger’s life, followed by the sing-song refrain of “Manny Being Manny” which is uttered by coaches, fans, hot dog vendors, and teammates (among others). By book’s end the reader sees the endearing pattern of a public life where “Manny Being Manny” isn’t a knock but the perfect expression for the individual in all of us.