Bat 6

Bat 6 is a compelling historical fiction novel set in a small Oregon town immediately following World War II. It masterfully tells the story of an annual sixth-grade girls' softball game through the eyes of 21 different characters. The narrative centers on the arrival of Aki, a Japanese-American girl who has spent six years in an internment camp, and Shazam, a girl whose father was killed at Pearl Harbor. Their rivalry on the field quickly escalates as Shazam's deep-seated bigotry and the community's lingering prejudice surface, challenging the girls and the town to confront difficult truths about racism, grief, and acceptance. This book is ideal for middle-grade readers ready to engage with complex historical events and diverse perspectives.

In small town, post-World War Oregon, twenty-one sixth-grade girls recount the story of an annual softball game, during which one girl's bigotry comes to the surface. Set in a small Oregon town just after World War II, this is the powerful tale of a community shattered by its reaction to two young newcomers, Aki and Shazam. Told from 21 different points of view, "Bat 6" explores the subject of Japanese-American racial prejudice after the war. Photographs and text present an up-close look at varied aspects of the lives of professional basketball players, from pre-game preparations, practice, game action, signing autographs, and more. A Japanese American girl who has just spent 6 years in an internment camp meets a bitter girl whose father was killed in Pearl Harbor, & the two become rivals in baseball in this story narrated by the members of the opposing teams.