Black Star

Kwame Alexander's 'Black Star' follows Charley, a spirited twelve-year-old Black girl in the 1920s American South, who harbors the ambitious dream of becoming a professional baseball pitcher. The narrative beautifully weaves her personal aspirations with the rich oral history shared by her grandfather, who tells thrilling tales of courageous ancestors. As Charley navigates the societal constraints and racial injustices of her time, she also seeks to uncover hidden truths about her community, including a mysterious event involving 'Booker Preston' and the segregated new baseball field. This middle-grade novel explores themes of perseverance, identity, family legacy, and the pursuit of justice against a vivid historical backdrop.

Twelve-year old Charley is set on becoming the first female pitcher to play professional baseball, even if that's a lofty dream for a Black girl in the American South in the 1920s. Even so, her grandfather Kofi's thrilling stories about courageous ancestors and epic journeys make it impossible not to dream big. She knows he has so much more to tell, but according to her parents, she isn't old enough to know about certain things, like what happened to Booker Preston that one night in Great Bridge, and why she can never play on the brand-new baseball field on the other side of town.