Holt McDougal Library, Middle School with Connections: Individual Reader Bat 6

Bat 6 is a wonderful book. No doubt about that. It's also a challenging book in a number of ways, and it may not be appropriate for every 9-12 year old. (I notice, for example, that the adults who reviewed it loved it, but many of those in the 'appropriate' age group did not.) Frankly, this book may be more suitable and interesting for YAs, not because of the subject matter or the reading level, but because of the book's structure, themes, and style. However, Bat 6 would be an ideal book for reading groups, parent-child reads, and other book discussion groups, and could certainly be used in that context with pre-teens.Bat 6 will also be great for any reader, pre-teen or YA, who enjoys a more serious or challenging book. It will probably also turn off a kid who doesn't like reading, or who reads only action-based, straightforward books. The story is told from many different viewpoints, and it is not a straight narrative; also, the majority of the story takes place outside of the game, in simple, everyday actions. This won't appeal to everyone. The writing style varies from narrator to narrator, with varying levels of grammar and writing skill. Again, this can be difficult for some. Finally, this is not a plot with a standard arc; in most books about a single game, the story builds to the big showdown, and the tension and climax come from the winning or losing of the Big Game. Someone expecting a normal sports book is going to be disappointed with Bat 6. However, the book's depth makes it perfect for reading groups. It provides material to start discussions about morals and values, violence and society, and child-rearing, just as examples. Some interesting topics for discussion would include: * Many people in the book had indications of Shazam's problems and kept them secret; did they make good or bad decisions, and why? Have you ever been in a similar situation? What did you do?* Aki's attitude of shikata ga nai (there is nothing to be done about it) is very different from most of the other characters' reactions. Little Peggy thinks Aki should be mad, whether or not she can change anything. Do you agree with Little Peggy? Why or why not?* How did Shazam (and others like her) learn to hate the Japanese? Was her mother solely responsible? Was Lorelei's father correct when he said that such things are inevitable in a warlike society? Did the Japanese internment camps have anything to do with the problem? Those are just three examples; there are literally dozens more. This isn't going to be a pleasure read for everyone - though some will definitely love it! - but it is an important and moving book, and I encourage parents, teachers, and group leaders to use it. I also encourage everyone to read the author's bio *before* reading the book; Ms. Wolff's comments about what inspired her to write Bat 6 are critical to understanding the book.

The 50th annual sixth-grade girls softball rivalry between two little Oregon towns has everyone involved. The story is told in little vignettes by the 21 girls who make up the two teams for this year's teams. The arrival of a new girl and the reappearance of another change the expected lineups for the 1949 game. Aki Mikami's family has finally come back to their farm when she is old enough to play for Bear Creek Ridge where her mother was MVP of the 1930 team. Shazam, who plays for Barlow, is a great player, but she harbors deep feelings of hate for the Japanese because her father was killed at Pearl Harbor.What happens the day of the game forces the players, their families, the coaches, and the whole town to face the issue of bigotry. A strong story convincingly told by the girls themselves from their differing viewpoints of the action. This would be an excellent read aloud tool for the classroom since it has 21 parts representing the two teams. A natural fto foster discussion of multiculturalism, bigotry, and prejudice.

Bat 6 takes place in two small towns in Oregon. There is a softball game between two schools Barlow Road Grade School and Bear Creek Ridge Grade School.They both have found a new phenomenal player.One is Shirley(Shazam)and the other is Aki Mikami.Shirley lost her father in the of Pearl Harbor and shows her hate for the Japanese.Aki had been sent to a camp where the Americans sent Japanese.They had both come back in time for the Bat 6(the softball game every sixth grade girl is looking forward to).Something really important happens in the game...but you have to read to find out.

The way this book was written was very good, and you see a pattern of bad grammar (it is being narrated by 21 6th grade girls). You see some exceptions, though, like Shazam (Shirley's) extremely bad grammar, and like Aki's extremely good grammar. The reason I say it is very realistic is that the view of the girls shows their feelings about how excited they are about Bat 6, and they are very honest in their narration. You probably know the basic plot from reading the descriptions, but the book is really mostly about the girls from Bear Creek Ridge Grade School and Barlow Road Grade School, and what they are doing in their lives to get ready for Bat 6, the annual softball game for 6th grade girls. The main narration takes place in 1949, after World War II has ended. Shazam (whose real name is Shirley) comes to Barlow Road Grade School, and the other girls think she is unusual, and she doesn't hide her hate for "Japs", people of Japanese descent. Her father was killed in Pearl Harbor, and she is living with her grandmother. Aki Mikami has gotten back from the camps for Japanese people (even Japanese people born in America) that the government sent them to. She is very good at softball, and on the day of Bat 6, the day all of the girls have been waiting for all their lives, Shazam's hate for "Japs" certainly comes out and Aki is seriously injured on her head; she must stay in a bed with a device on her head all summer and she can't eat solid food. The book is sad, but it is also informative, and it doesn't just use the characters as a device to convey an idea or seomthing. The characters are fully imaged and described. It shows what can happen when a person's problems are ignored. (Shazam never hid her hate, and everyone chose to ignore it, or not really do anything.) I strongly suggest you read this book. I read it because it was on a school reading list, but I am glad I did.

Bat 6 is an outstanding novel set post WWII.It is very informative and has an excellent description from both sides: a young Japanese girl put in a camp because of her ancestry, and a young American girl who's father was killed on the Arizona, the ship bombed by Japan.Virginia Euwer Wolff does a wonderful job explaining what both girls go through and how they deal with their pain.But these aren't the only girls featured in this exquiset novel.There is Lola and her twin, Lila, Audrey, and Ila Mae, who have all been waiting for that day: May 28,1949, when it would be their turn to play in the 50th annual Bat 6 girls softball game.