The text
Bottom of the Ninth (On the Apple Store)
The creator
The format
App from Apple
The details
(Screenshot below)
From the App Store description (grammatical errors are embedded in the image).
Some background
The review
The storytelling in this (unfortunately) unfinished animated story is extraordinary. It is moving for both its content (young woman becomes the first female to pitch baseball for a major league team amid controversy and opposition) and its execution. The animation is sublime, and Woodward’s use of music and dialogue, imagery, 2- and 3-D animation, within the well-known and well-understood framework of the comic book elevates this text beyond the restricting confines of the printed page.
In “What is an ebook?..” by Betty Sergeant (2014), the author posits the idea that, when it comes to book apps, “…the reader becomes the user: people read ebooks, whereas they use book apps.” (p.461) In my humble opinion, Bottom of the Ninth combines ‘reading’ and ‘using’ almost seamlessly. One can both ‘read’ the story through the conventional comic layout – panels with drawn images and text – and ‘use’ the story through interactive audio, moving image, and 3-D modelling.
Although some aspects of the “McGeehan” rubric (McGeehan et al., 2018) do not apply to a digital story for older readers, it is still possible for Bottom of the Ninth to score 9 points (out of without meeting some of the picture book language acquisition criteria if additional appropriate criteria are added for a text of this type.
| Main Criteria | Sub criteria | Scoring | Score | ||||
| Is the text appropriately presented in digital format? | Placement and location of the text follow the basic reading concepts (left to right/ top to bottom), captions below pictures, etc. | Appropriate sound effects and music related to the main idea of the text. | Size and shape of the text features fit the tablet’s proportions. Features include graphs, pictures, maps, graphic organisers, etc. | Digital features are easily found and accessible. | 3: 4/4 criteria are met
2: 2 or 3 out of 4 criteria are met 1: less than 2 of the criteria are met |
||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Does the text take advantage of features the digital world allows beyond what is possible in print? | Provides oral pronunciation of words. | Provides for oral self-recording. | Provides oral pronunciation of words in multiple languages. | Provides the ability to simplify or increase the readability of the text. | [Provides extended oral versions of written text] | 3: 4/4 criteria are met
2: 2 or 3 out of 4 criteria are met 1: less than 2 of the criteria are met |
|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Do any supplementary features align with the text? | Contains puzzles, matching memory games, painting/drawing opportunities, etc. that represent the main idea of the text. | Contains puzzles, matching memory games, painting/drawing opportunities that deepen the reader’s conceptual knowledge regarding the topic represented in the text. | Contains digital features that provide access to content specific information to deepen prior knowledge (i.e., videos, websites related to content-area topics being discussed or referred to in the text). | 3: 3/3 criteria are met
2: 2/3 criteria are met 1: less than 2 of the criteria are met |
|||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |||
| Do the features support basic concepts of [language specific] print [books] (left to right, top to bottom, turn pages left to right, one spoken word for each written word, etc.)? | Initial text appearance—utilises standard fonts, makes them of a reasonable size, and places the text on the screen in such a way that [readers] can easily attend to it. | Text highlighting—highlighted words fade out the word just read as the next word is being highlighted. | Text highlighting—highlights from left to right, top to bottom. | Text highlighting includes colours that differ from the text colour. | Text highlighting allows options for the student to increase the length of the words/phrases/sentences being highlighted (word by word, to short phrases or full sentences/phrases). | 3: 5/5 criteria are met
2: 3 or 4 out of 5 criteria are met 1: less than 3 of the criteria are met |
|
| 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | |
| Do the digital features used support readers’ acquisition of words or comprehension? | Hotspots for word pronunciation when
reader is reading by self |
Hotspots for word study exploration: Accurate phonetic deciphering of words is available (the words are segmented into onset and rhyme or syllable; pronunciations are accurate). | Hotspots for exploration of word meanings are available; the meanings are explained, accurate, kid-friendly, and appropriate to the context in which the words are used in the text. | Hotspots for extending or enriching content information are used (i.e., sounds or actions of the characters or objects in the book, labeling of items found in pictures). All are relevant to the storyline. | 3: 4/4 criteria are met
2: 2 or 3 out of 4 criteria are met 1: less than 2 of the criteria are met |
||
| – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Total | 9 | ||||||
| Note: | 13–15 out of 15: Exceptional text that utilises digital features to increase the reading experience and has the potential to enhance the reading process and ultimately comprehension.
9–12 out of 15: Adequate text with many digital features that are likely to increase the reading experience and has the potential to enhance the reading process and ultimately comprehension. 8 or less out of 15: Inadequate digital text that fails to utilise digital features in a way that will increase the reading experience and that will have the potential to enhance the reading process and ultimately comprehension. |
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The addition here of “provides extended oral versions of written text” for a digital text for older readers reflects the ability of teen and/or adult readers to focus on and interpret more than one text type at a time.
As previously noted in Review 1, the “McGeehan” rubric is flawed in that it makes assumptions about the language and text conventions of titles under review. Although this comic strip-style text follows Western convention of reading a text from top to bottom/ left to right, there are many graphic or illustrated texts from other language groups that read from right to left, for example, manga texts, and some digital texts which are read in patterns, horizontally, vertically or are hyperlinked to move in many directions.
The ”McGeehan” rubric also assumes that all picture books are for readers who are in the early stages of acquiring language and reading skills. There are many illustrated print and digital fiction and non-fiction texts that are for a middle-grade, teen, young adult, and adult readership. A criterion for audience appropriate digital enhancements would further extend the usefulness of the rubric.
Bottom of the Ninth explores many of the issues that are, disturbingly, still prevalent in sport and sports reporting. Released in 2012, Woodward’s exploration of sexism, the corporatisation of sports and sportspeople, and the control that can be exerted on them through technology is as relevant today as it was then.
The reception that Candy receives as she steps out of the dugout and onto the pitcher’s mound reproduces real-life commentary shared on social media during every broadcast involving women either on the field, on the coaching staff, or in the commentary team.
Screenshots of comments made on Twitter about Daisy Pearce, AFLW footballer and AFLM commentator.
“The Murph”, Lance, The Batter, and the crowd are all unafraid to write-off Candy Cunningham before she’s even pitched a single ball – just because she is female. There are only three characters that either support her or are neutral – the coach and Candy’s father are supporters, and the game announcer is neutral. Once Candy has thrown her first pitch, The Murph changes his mind – saying “I knew she had it in her…you know, she can throw…she’s got my respect…hey, tip my cap to her.” Having just heard him say the exact opposite – “well, [sending Cunningham in to pitch] is quitting right here … you gotta respect the game…this is ridiculous…I can’t believe what I’m seeing” (and be able to make repeat visits to the app to hear him say it over and over again), Woodward gives the reader an opportunity to examine their own prejudices.
Woodward makes some interesting and pointed observations about corporate control of sports and sporting identities. In the telecommunications tower the technicians are ordered to “[t]erminate all stadium transmissions and counter with excess feeds on Lance” when it become clear that they are not earning a ‘dime’ because “Miss Cunningham has no identity control agreement with us”. (p. 12)
Bottom of the Ninth is both good reading and good writing – a winning combination for any resource.
Reference List
Claude88 [@schirrip1]. (2022, August 14). Daisy should just shut her mouth and until now respected her as as a commentator. Can she do an analysis on all the other suspensions for far less and more importantly players who have suffered concussion as a result, Like AFL her comments are a joke. [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/schirrip1/status/1557855588574408704
McGeehan, C., Chambers, S., & Nowakowski, J. (2018). Just Because It’s Digital, Doesn’t Mean It’s Good: Evaluating Digital Picture Books. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 34(2), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2017.1399488
No QuarkSeen [@noquarkseen]. (2022, July 28). If that gets rid of Daisy Pearce I’m in. [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/NoQwarkSeen/status/1552615929481072640
No QuarkSeen [@noquarkseen]. (2022, July 28). No. Get rid of that idiot Daisy Pearce. [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/NoQwarkSeen/status/1552615204034211840
No QuarkSeen [@noquarkseen]. (2022, July 28). He’s not the problem. It’s that grinning numptie Daisy Pearce. [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/NoQwarkSeen/status/1552614888287088640
Oscar Barfly – AFL accredited journalist [@oscarbarfly]. (2022, August 5). “WHOOOBE JOOOBELEE MASON COX TAKING GROUND JABUMBALEE WHOOBALEE DOOBALEE” – DAISY PEARCE (SPECIAL COMMENTS). [Image attached] [Tweet]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/OscarBarfly/status/1555501719542702080
RyanWoodwardart. (2012). Bottom of the Ninth – What is it? [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAKQOJFDCJk
Sargeant, B. (2015). What is an ebook? What is a book app? And why should we care? An analysis of contemporary digital picture books. Children’s Literature in Education, 46(4), 454-466.
Woodward, R. (2012, June 21). Bottom of the Ninth 01. App Store. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bottom-of-the-ninth-01/id532477999
