Let Them Play

Margot Theis Raven hit a home run with this book. This is a true story about the 1955 Little League Tournament. Raven does an excellent job depicting how segregated the game was back then. Every child should read this book or have this book read to them so they can understand what discrimination is and how it makes people feel. This book reminds us how far we have come as a country and we should be greatful to live with the freedoms we have in today's society.

Margot Theis Raven shares with us a forgotten 1955 event - when adults allowed racism to prevent the African American Cannon Street All-Stars from playing other Little League teams in South Carolina for the Little League World Series. I'm not a baseball fan. Yet, my eyes welled when reading this book about a team of 14 black boys who wanted nothing more than to play baseball. Margot Raven captures the 1950s in words. She reminds us of the pride and support the black community had for the Cannon Street All-Stars. Chris Ellison's illustrations transports us to 2nd base, to joyful pillow fights, and to a stadium chanting, "Let Them Play." Excellent gift for children and baseball fans of all ages!

As a white man born only one year before this travesty of "sportsmanship" took place I cannot begin to tell people how important it is that this story be told not just to my generation who grew up in the begiinings of the civil rights, no the HUMAN rights, movements, but even more important, to the children of today. What could easily become an "oh poor us" story is not. It is a story of a wonderful bunch of kids who just wanted to play. "Let Them Play" is something you won't soon forget. Read it, give one to a kid and put one in a school library!