Baseball for your Bookshelf

A recommendation for your class library...

I am always on the lookout for sports-related books because they seem to fly off the shelf with my sixth graders.  My son is not in my classroom, but as a middle-schooler I often look at books through his eyes. He is OBSESSED with all things baseball so I was drawn to this book immediately. Soar by Joan Bauer grabbed my attention within the first few pages.

Purchase Soar HERE

(My disclaimer - I really wanted you to see the cover of the book and the only way I could figure out how to do that LEGALLY was to become an Amazon Affiliate.  I need to include this link where you could buy it if you want and as an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Bauer is an award-winning author of 13 books for young readers, including Hope was Here, and Rules of the Road.  In her most recent book, Soar, she writes through the narrator Jeremiah.  He is an adopted child and in the first chapter he retells the story of being left by his mother as a baby and the man who finds him who eventually becomes his dad. Jeremiah and his father Walt are both brilliant and I love their banter back and forth -- they remind me of Sherman and Peabody, if you are old enough to know that reference.  Early in life Jeremiah needs a heart transplant and then finds himself limited in his physical activity. His love of baseball is cut to just watching games and studying the art of coaching.

Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash

Because of a new job for Walt as a technology consultant, Jeremiah and his dad move to Hillcrest, Ohio and are excited to be in a community that has an amazing high school baseball program.  However, soon after they arrive, the high school team is engulfed in a scandal and Jeremiah realizes his baseball dreams will only be fulfilled through the middle school team.

The roster for the middle school team is nothing short of The Bad News Bears, and under the direction of Coach Jeremiah they grow both in skill and confidence.  Several twists and turns along the way make this a captivating and heart-warming novel.

Besides the focal point on baseball, this novel is so much more, including themes about perseverance, living life to the fullest, and overcoming obstacles.  Great lessons for any middle schooler, but especially for those who might also have a physical limitation.

Photo by Bo Lane on Unsplash

While focusing on baseball can bring in reluctant readers, this might also be a negative to anybody who does not follow the sport.  It’s not for everybody, but for those who enjoy the All-American Pastime, this book is a home run!

If you’d like to try this book with your students, here are some FREE discussion questions.  Let me know what you think.

5 Reasons Why Tristan Strong Should Be Your Next Read-Aloud Choice

Anybody that has spent time with upper elementary or middle school students has heard of Percy Jackson. If you haven’t personally read the books yet, you at least know the basics - a young boy finds out he has deep connections with Ancient Greek and Roman demigods and mythology. It’s a very popular series, one that has made millions for Rick Riordan. But a new young teen hero has come on the scene to give Percy a run for his money. Meet Tristan Strong.

Purchase Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky HERE.

(My disclaimer - I really wanted you to see the cover of the book and the only way I could figure out how to do that LEGALLY was to become an Amazon Affiliate.  I need to include this link where you could buy it if you want and as an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

The novel Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia has a similar feel to the Percy Jackson books, but takes things up a notch or two. It should definitely be your next read-aloud choice for your class or maybe even a selection for lit circle groups. Here are my top five reasons.

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1 - Tristan is going through some really traumatic things that students can identify with. He has recently lost his bestie Eddie in a horrible bus accident and keeps having the recurring memory of his friend reaching out to him from beneath the rubble pleading to be saved. It’s truly heart wrenching (but not too graphic) and kids will be drawn to a character that seems so broken. Tristan’s dad and grandfather have also pushed him into the family sport of boxing but when he loses his first match, he fears he will not be carrying on this legacy. To top it all off, he is being sent away to spend the summer living with his grandparents. Is there a worse fate for any 7th grader? Kids will enjoy rolling their eyes with this main character during his car ride to Alabama.

Adinkra symbol from 
African mythology 
from kissclipart.com

2 - The characters in this book are extremely colorful and teach readers about African mythology and African -American folklore. Books about Zeus and Poseidon are a dime a dozen, but when was the last time your students read about people like John Henry, Anansi the spider god, or Brer Rabbit? Maybe they have heard short versions of stories with these characters, but this novel really brings them to life. And I suspect for many students, this will open their eyes to stories from a culture very different than their own. I for one had not even heard of many of these African deities and was fascinated to see them in a story full of so much action. It’s time to put Athena aside!

3. Practically each chapter ends on a cliffhanger so it makes a great read-aloud option to keep your students engaged. Don’t you just love to hear kids scream, “One more chapter!”? You might even find yourself continuing to the next part of the saga because you don’t want to put it down. These cliffhangers don’t leave you hanging for too long either. Many are resolved or answered as soon as you flip the page, but by then you are committed to reading just one more.

4 Kwame Mbalia is an excellent writer from a literary standpoint. This is not full of high-drama fluff to pull in the kids. Readers will see great examples of figurative language and literary elements that can be used for teachable moments throughout the book. Pause and have a debate about the imagery. Talk through the allusion and explain who it is and what it refers to. Who doesn’t love a good discussion on Onomatopoeia? Chapter after chapter offers examples that can truly be used as models for young budding writers.

5. And finally, the book ends with closure but also sets things up for a possible sequel. Loose ends are tied up, bad guys are revealed and punished, and our hero is heroic. No spoilers here, but just know that Mbalia is already working on a #2 so that could set up your classroom for another book to read down the road.

You should totally read Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky with your class. It is a heartwarming novel that teaches about another culture so different from the Greco-Romans many students are already so familiar with. You won’t want to put it down unless it is just for a moment to help the class discuss.

I really think you and your students will love this book. And to help you with those classroom chats, try out these FREE chapter discussion questions.

Click here for FREE Tristan Strong Discussion Questions