Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature - Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
Nine-year-old Maria Singh learns to play softball just like her heroes in the All-American Girls' League, while her parents and neighbors are struggling through World War II, working for India's independence, and trying to stay on their farmland.
Nine-year-old Maria Singh longs to play softball in the first-ever girls' team forming in Yuba City, California. It's the spring of 1945, and World War II is dragging on. Miss Newman, Maria's teacher, is inspired by Babe Ruth and the All-American Girls' League to start a girls' softball team at their school.
Meanwhile, Maria's parents-Papi from India and Mamá from Mexico-can no longer protect their children from prejudice and from the discriminatory laws of the land. When the family is on the brink of losing their farm, Maria must decide if she has what it takes to step up and find her voice in an unfair world.
In this fascinating middle grade novel, award-winning author Uma Krishnaswami sheds light on a little-known chapter of American history set in a community whose families made multicultural choices before the word had been invented.
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Uma Krishnaswami was born in India and now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Her novel, Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh, won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Uma has been nominated twice for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. She teaches in the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Visit her online at umakrishnaswami.com.
"Filled with heart, this tale brings to life outspoken and determined Maria, her love for baseball, and her multicultural community and their challenges and triumphs. A loving look at a slice of American life new to children's books." -- Kirkus Reviews
"This historical sports story will appeal to many elementary-aged students and provides a rich basis for a discussion of prejudice and the importance of standing up for one's beliefs." -- School Library Journal
"A testament to the power of family, identity, faith and one girl's strong drive for fairness. At the same time, it also shows us how difficult it is to evoke change, especially in the face of the twin forces of racism and sexism. . . . Readers will see in Maria a hero, not only for her own time, but for all time." -- Newbery Honor Winner Kathi Appelt, author of The Underneath
"This timely, important, superb novel made me cry, laugh out loud, and burn with anger at injustice. . . . A must-read for youngsters and adults alike." -- Anjali Banerjee, author of Maya Running, Looking for Bapu and Seaglass Summer
Amelia Bloomer Project - Feminist Task Force, American Library Association (ALA)
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
Choices, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
South Asia Book Award Highly Commended Book, South Asia National Outreach Consortium (SANOC)
United Methodist Women Reading Program, United Methodist Women
