04 Mar / Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki, illustrated by Dom Lee [in What Do I Read Next? Multicultural Literature]
“Shorty,” a young Japanese American boy, and his family are forcibly relocated to an American concentration camp during World War II. There, in order to help the children survive the barbed wire fences and armed guards, Shorty’s father organizes a baseball league. Although small, the determined “Shorty” proves to be a talented player.
During World War II, some 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry were imprisoned in concentration camps throughout the American West because they were unjustly perceived to be a national security threat. In 1988, the U.S. government formally apologized, including monetary reparations for loss of property and basic human dignity. This award-winning story is based on actual experiences.
Review: “Asian American Titles,” What Do I Read Next? Multicultural Literature, Gale Research, 1997
Readers: Children
Published: 1993