Baseball Saved Us/ Weedflower

Title: Baseball Saved Us
Author : Mochizuki,Ken
Illustrator: Lee, Dom
Publisher: LEE AND LOW BOOKS, 1993
Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction
Age Range: 2-4th grade
Awards: Lee and Low Award Winner, 1993 Parent's Choice Award

Summary: This book is about a young boy who is Japanese American. Baseball Saved Us is his story about being relocated to internment camps during WWII. He understands why he has been moved, but along with everyone else - doesn't like it. When his brother Teddy snaps at his father, his dad realizes it is time for a release. He gets almost everyone involved in building a baseball field. Since noone works, this is a great way to spend time and get their minds off of the situation at hand. During the championships the narrator looks up and sees the guard watching him. This angers him and the release of his anger ends up being a homerun ball that wins his team the championship! Once back at school, the narrator tries coping with being the only Japanese American on his baseball team. Teasing and tormenting are things he has to deal with. The book ends with him taking his anger out on another homerun ball!

Response: I think this book was a great portrayal of the times. It showed these Americans trying the make the best of of a horrible situation. I really enjoyed the pictures, too. I would have never guessed that beeswax, in conjunction with oils were used to make them. The picture that grabbed my attention the most was the one of the narrator sitting at the lunchtable eating all alone. He looks as if he could cry. If I were in his situation, I am sure I would cry. One of the big themes I pull out from this book is irony. Americans put their own kind in camps because they thought they may turn on them. It was funny to me that they chose baseball. I don't think you can get any more American than that! I also noticed that no one tried to fight back. I think it was really neat how this book really tried to pull out the best. I also like how it is told from a first person point of view. If you were reading this to younger children, it would give them a great perspective!

Teaching Ideas: I think this book would be a great supplement to any class studying war. In elementary school it could be read as a way for students to understand. Older children could get into more discussion about it, younger children could participate in some of the same abandonment activities we participated in. I think this would also be good to use in high school. Before reading this and Weedflower, I had no idea that Japanese Americans were even re-located. This could open some eyes! Social studies teachers could use it to go along with WWII, while English could supplement it with books like Night and Aleutian Sparrow. The more perspectives, the better!
-jeana



Weedflower:

What does it feel like to be lonely?:
When I feel lonely, I feel deserted. I do not have any support or help. When I feel lonely I feel like I have nothing around I am used to, all of my points of recognition are gone. Some of my favorite memories are ones of me growing up and going on trips with my family. I remember my granpaw holding me up at the top of Mt. Mitchell so I could be the highest person in North Carolina. I remember going to Memphis and crying over Elvis' grave. I love remembering the fun times I had at Cape Lookout National Seashore this past summer. I hold on to my memories by telling others about them. Sometimes I am not even sure if they want to hear it, but I tell them anyway!

Pre-Reading Websites:
These websites were really informational for me. I think I have said it before, but I never even knew about Japanese Internment camps until this class. I have never been the most historically savvy person, but after 16 years of schooling I would hope I would know that. The website that talked about Fred Korematsu was really interesting for me to read. I can think about me being lonely, but this poor man was all on his own! He was so brave! I cannot even imagine having the courage to stand up against the American Government. I think he did right though! It shouldn't have even happened in the first place.

The Book:
Maybe it is because I have had so much to lately, but I finally got through Weedflower! It wasn't the easiest book for me to get into, though. One of the images that stuck throughout my entire reading was one of the first scenes, the birthday party. Poor Sumiko was so excited about being invited to her very first party. I was so happy for her! When the mother just told her she couldn't come, I wanted to reach through the book and punch her! You can't do that to a little girl. Never in my whole life have I heard of anything like that. If Sumiko would have been a grown-up, I think I would have understood it more. But she wasn't! She was a child! That should NOT happen to a child.

I really love that Frank christened Sumiko with the name Weedflower. It ties in so nicely. Sumiko is Japanese, so she will be considered a weed. But, she tries to make the best life for herself and she is so bright and unique. I also like it because it is such a Native American name. Only Frank could think of something like that. By doing so, he welcomed in Sumiko. I really like thinking about the idea of inter-racial friendships, which is just what Sumiko and Frank have.

The ending was not the happiest ending one could wish for, but it was hopeful. I like that Sumiko ended with a list, and even though may things on the list were saddening, owning a flower shop "someday" is heartfelt. I definitely smiled while reading this. I think that Kadohata did a great job with providing readers an end note. This really gives us some more historical perspective and a sense of closure to the book.