The Brooklyn Nine Alan Gratz

The Brooklyn Nine by Alan Gratz - This is the story of the Schneider family told through nine innings of baseball. Nine innings nine generations. There story begins in 1845 with 10 year old German who immigrates to Brooklyn, NY. The Schneider's, (down the line daugthers are born and the last name changes) loves the game of baseball, it's in their blood. The nine Schneider's all get three chapters (at bats) to tell their story. It was easy for me to lose myself in this novel. Yes, its partly because I love baseball but Gratz has created fully developed characters. A lot of research went into this novel. From the baseball stand point, as the decades past, the rules of baseball as we known today are flushed out. In 1864 some Union soldier's including Louis Schneider, take a break to play a game. They agree that catching the ball on the fly is an out (new fly rule) but they vote gets Ned Cuthbert's introduction of stolen bases. In 1908 Arnold Schneider watches a came played by Black players who pretend they're Cuban so White hotel guest can enjoy the game without having to admit they're watching Negroes play. Though Arnold can see the talent of the pitcher, he calls the game for what it is, a minstrel show. Arnold tries to sneak the Black pitcher into the league claiming he's Native American. Black players putting on silly shows, or crazy outfits while playing or pretending to be anything but Black so they could play in the majors is a large part of baseball history. Gratz's has open the door for young readers to discover more about the Negro leagues and The All American Girls Baseball League. In 1945 Kat Snider plays short stop for Grand Rapids Chicks. I'll point out one more thing (for baseball fans) Gratz mentions the 1946 Brooklyn Dodgers game in which Bob Herman hits the ball with the bases loaded and some how three players end up on third base at the same time I've heard great things about this book all year and it lives up to all the praise. Like any great baseball story The Brooklyn Nine is filled with heart.

Other reviews with less emphasis on baseball

Confessions of a Bibliovore

The Literate Lives

The Reading Zone

M+O 4EVR Tonya Hegamin

M+O 4EVR by Tonya Hegamin One of the great things about participating in C.O.R.A Roll Call besides the chance to win books is reading other bloggers post. In a recent Roll Call about YA books, Summer mentions M+O 4Evr. Seeing the cover on her page reminded me I wanted to read this novel. This was published in 2008 and is Hegamin's first novel. Opal and Marianne were best friends before their first steps. Somewhere along the way Opal fell in love with Marianne. Before Opal could save Marianne, she commits sucide. Opal uses her memories and family to come to terms with her loss. This book is only 165 pages but somehow Hegamin has written one of the most diverse novels I've read in a while. Marianne's mother is Dutch and used to live in an Amish country. The only thing Marianne ever knew about her father was that he was Black. As Opal remember's we can see that Marianne is ridiculed for being biracial in a small town. The novel alternates between Opal's memories and the love story of a slave named Hannah. Growing up Opal's grandmother told Opal and Marianne the story of the runaway slave who fell in love with a Native American. Opal's grandmother is dating the one eligible White man of a certain age. The other women who would love to date Roscoe, are not too happy with this interracial relationship. I quickly lost myself in Hegamin's smooth and easy writing. As much as I liked Opal I loved Marrianne. I have my finger crossed that the author will go back and revisit Marrianne, giving her a book of her own. There are a lot of YA books released in 2009 about a dead parent, sibling, or best friend. Only two have stood out to me so far - Forman's If I Stay and Kephart's Nothing But Ghosts. I loved both for different reasons. After about the fourth or fifth book dealing with a loss, I said no more for sixth month. So I will admit to cringing when I read the inside flap of M+O 4 Evr. After reading the first page I worried no more. I knew this one would rise above the others like Forman's and Kephart's. One thing all three novels have in common - the author's don't use the loss of the main character as a crutch. They remember to make the reader feel not with a loss but rather their words. M+O 4Evr is a wonderful first novel. Ages 12up

Go Read This Right Now

Author Zetta Elliott is kindly sharing chapters of WIP. It's so freakin beautiful. Its about a about a boy named Pepe who loves dolls and the art of making them. So go read this right now. If you like it, like I know you will leave a comment. Don't just read the goodness and not say thank you. Chapter 2 is up as well, enjoy. Thanks Zetta

Shining Star: The Anna May Story Paula Yoo Lin Wang

Shining Star :The Anna May Story by Paula Yoo illus. Lin Wang. Before I saw this book over at Lee and Low I never thought about the first Asian movie star in Hollywood. Though Anna May story is eerily familiar to first African American movie stars. Being forced to take on stereotypical roles that portray her people in a negative light. Being hate by her people for taking on such roles. Having to work with a White actor made up in "yellow face" to look Asian. Moving to Europe for a few years and finding more acceptance there than in the States. Being denied a roll that was intended for an Asian actress (The Good Earth), since actors of color couldn't kiss white costars. I love the action and aww of the first page. Anna May is daydreaming., she is tied to the train tracks and the train is almost upon her. That in itself should pull in any reader. Wang's illustration's are beautiful. Everything from the dresses, to hairstyles and film equipment is true to the times. I don't know what I enjoyed more a young Anna May's love of movies, or Anna May the actress. Anna May had many difficult decision to make in her life. After a visit to China, she refused to accept any more films that showed the Chinese in an unsympathetic light. Yoo and Wang have collaborated to created a wonderful biography about the first Chinese actress that will hold any ones interest. Ages 7up

If you've never done so, check out LeeandLow books, publishers of multicultural children's books. I love their site, its very easy to maneuver. Once you click on a title of interest, there is an extensive synopsis. As well as interest and reading level. They link to any review and comments. Which I love because its means one less search. Also there is almost always an interview with the author about the book.

Also I want to point out another publisher of multicultural children's literature that I learned about over at Color Online just yesterday. Shen Books emphasizes cultural diversity with a focus on introducing children to the cultures of Asia.

Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Gringolandia by Lyn Miller-Lachmann This is a new release from Curbstone Press, a non profit publisher of Latin American and Latino literature. It's 1986, 17yr old Daniel Aguilar lives in Wisconsin, with his mother and younger sister. The Aguilar's fled their native country of Chile, 6 years earlier after the secret police came in the middle of the night and arrested Daniel's father, Marcelo. At the time Chile was under the rule of Augusto Pinochet . Marcelo risked his life to expose Pinochet's unjust government. I was unfamiliar with Chiliean politics or government when I started Gringolandia. However the author includes notes about Chiliean government prior to the first chapter, giving the reading of a better understanding of the climate the Aguliar's were living in. Daniel's adjusted well to life in Wisconsin. He plays guitar in a band and gets good grades and has a girlfriend. Everything changes for Aguilar's when Marcelo is finally released from prison. In the opening chapters the author describes some of the torture, Marcelo experiences in prison. At times I cringed at the way Marcelo was treated. As the novel continued I was glad the author talked of Marcelo's time in a Chiliean prison, it made it easier for me to understand why he had hard time transitioning into life in America. Marcelo's discomfort upsets the balance in the Aguilar household. Daniel is rediscovering his father and finally realizing why his father would risk his freedom. The chapters alternate between Daniel and his girlfriend Courtney, who has a story of her own. Far from his homeland Marcelo doesn't stop fighting for it. He goes on talks across the country in hopes of bringing awareness to what's going on in Chile. There is no stopping Marcelo, Daniel must decide whether or not to help him. Will Daniel risk his life to help his father sneak back into his homeland? I really enjoyed Gringolandia. Towards the end it was nice watching Daniel find some of his father inside of himself.

An excerpt from 1st chapter

Teacher's Guide by the author