We Are The Ship
Bibliography:
Nelson, K. (2008). WE ARE THE SHIP. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-1437969535
Plot Summary:
The story is about the Negro League baseball. The story talks about gifted athletes and determined owners of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship. It also talks about the fortunes that were won and lost and the triumphs on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.
Critical Analysis:
Nelson wonderfully writes about the rise and fall of Negro League Baseball. The illustrations are so captivating because they take the whole page making it very appealing to readers. The illustrations are in a painted photo sort of way and the color palette looks really realistic. The illustrations also show the baseball players' emotions in a very detailed way. Nelson uses the word “we” to show the experiences that he experienced, making the book seem more meaningful.
The book is more suitable for upper grade students because of its heavier text. Baseball fans will find this book fascinating and more relatable because of the terminology used within the story detailing the sport.
Review Excerpt(s):
“Imagine listening to Willie Mays and Ernie Banks swapping tales. That easygoing, conversational storytelling is what Nelson achieves in this pitch-perfect history of Negro League baseball. His extensive research yields loads of attention-grabbing details. The grand slam, though, is the art: Nelson's oil paintings have a steely dignity, and his from-the-ground perspectives make the players look larger than life. Bib., ind.”- Horn Book
“Nelson continues to top himself with each new book. Here, working solo for the first time, he pays tribute to the hardy African-American players of baseball's first century with a reminiscence written in a collective voice—"But you know something? We had many Josh Gibsons in the Negro Leagues. We had many Satchel Paiges. But you never heard about them"—matched to a generous set of full-page painted portraits and stadium views. Generally viewed from low angles, the players seem to tower monumentally, all dark-skinned game faces glowering up from the page and big, gracefully expressive hands dangling from powerful arms. Arranging his narrative into historical "Innings," the author closes with lists of Negro Leaguers who played in the Majors, and who are in the Baseball Hall of Fame, plus a detailed working note. Along with being absolutely riveted by the art, readers will come away with a good picture of the Negro Leaguers' distinctive style of play, as well as an idea of how their excellence challenged the racial attitudes of both their sport and their times. (bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)”-Kirkus Reviews
Connection:
*Students can consider cultural representation with guided reflection on what they see in their life and the experiences they notice in the text. Students can look for words like power, privilege, and bias and make those connections.
Other books that reflect this genre:
HOME OF THE BRAVE: AN AMERICAN HISTORY BOOK FOR KIDS ISBN 978-1641527804
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