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Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
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 Mama 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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First published May 1, 2017
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May 27, 2017
A touching story of a young Punjabi-Mexican American girl pursuing her dream of playing softball and finding her voice to stand up for what is right, despite the pressures and limitations of the prevailing norms of her environment.
June 2, 2017
An outstanding example of middle grade historical fiction. This book will appeal to sports enthusiasts and history buffs alike, along with any kids who just like reading books about strong characters with an interesting story to tell! The story was fascinating and fast-paced and kept me engaged for the entire time. The author's note at the end does an excellent job of explaining the historical accuracy of the events of the story, which is especially important to me as a librarian. I honestly can't comment much about the baseball aspects of the book, given my lack of familiarity with the sport, but the author's note helps with the historical significance, and I know students will love the sport storyline.Highly recommended for all middle grade libraries and classrooms as a new look at WWII-era America from the unique perspective of Mexican-Indian families. I will be handing this to our 5th grade teacher and telling her it should be her first read aloud for next school year! The only thing I would change about this book might be the cover, as I don't think the illustration conveys the historical or seriousness of the topics within.
Note: I also love the author's book "Book Uncle and Me" - a VERY different type of story, but also middle grade.
I received a digital ARC of this title for review ~ all opinions are my own.
Note: I also love the author's book "Book Uncle and Me" - a VERY different type of story, but also middle grade.
I received a digital ARC of this title for review ~ all opinions are my own.
October 11, 2021
I found this book Apalaweb.org, otherwise known as Asian/Pacific American Libraries Association. Step Up to the Plate won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature in 2017 under the children's literature category. It also won the South Asia Book Award for a highly commended book.
This story about 9 year old Maria Singh who wants to play baseball just like the boys. However, in California during World War II, this wasn't very acceptable. As Maria's parents are skeptical and more traditional parents for the time, they are also struggling through WWII and trying to keep their farm. Maria's teacher begins a women's softball team, standing up to the typical gender roles at the time.
I think this book would be great for later elementary grades like 3rd, 4th, and 5th. I think it would be wonderful for boys and girls to read. It's a great example of going against the typical gender roles and women standing up for what they truly desire, especially when it's your family that's really questioning you. I think this would be a great book to tie into social studies when discussing WWII and the typical gender roles at the time.
I read this book digitally through my Epic! account which is a great digital resource for literature.
This story about 9 year old Maria Singh who wants to play baseball just like the boys. However, in California during World War II, this wasn't very acceptable. As Maria's parents are skeptical and more traditional parents for the time, they are also struggling through WWII and trying to keep their farm. Maria's teacher begins a women's softball team, standing up to the typical gender roles at the time.
I think this book would be great for later elementary grades like 3rd, 4th, and 5th. I think it would be wonderful for boys and girls to read. It's a great example of going against the typical gender roles and women standing up for what they truly desire, especially when it's your family that's really questioning you. I think this would be a great book to tie into social studies when discussing WWII and the typical gender roles at the time.
I read this book digitally through my Epic! account which is a great digital resource for literature.
February 19, 2020
Uma Krishnaswami writes a very compelling narrative through the eyes of Maria, a 5th grade girl, who is both Indian and Mexican. She lived in Yuba City, California in 1945 while WWⅡ still wages on. Laws were harsh for immigrants and they experience many inequalities. Maria’s family knows this well. Money is scarce and times are hard for most everyone. In the midst of political and racial tension, Maria finds liberation in the form of playing soft ball. On the field she learns valuable lessons of what it means to be a team player, and how to see beyond the lens of prejudge that is normalized by culture. She learns what it means to hate and what it means to forgive. She is a young girl full of spirit and good intentions who has to find her voice in order to save what she holds most dear. It tells an incredibly important piece of our nation’s history that is unknown by most.
With themes of family, faith, immigration, racism & prejudice, hurt & forgiveness, and war times, this book could be used in several places across the curriculum. Any one of these topics would make a good writing prompt and tie into social studies.
With themes of family, faith, immigration, racism & prejudice, hurt & forgiveness, and war times, this book could be used in several places across the curriculum. Any one of these topics would make a good writing prompt and tie into social studies.
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March 2, 2019Alternative assessment
Imagine you had the ability, like a genie in a bottle, to grant a character in your book 3 wishes. What would he/she wish for? Use evidence from the book to explain why they would wish these things.
If I could grant 3 wishes to the main character, Maria, I bet she would wish to play ball in The All American League, to buy land for her Papi, and to end the war.
1. Maria loves to play baseball and has grown up playing some version of it with her best friend Connie. They had been throwing a ball at each other and swinging at them with cheap bats since they were six. Both girls are now in the fifth grade. Now Maria wants to play baseball with her friends from school. In the book her teacher Miss Newman has put together all girls team to start practicing together and improving their skills. Maria looks forward to playing every day after school and when she isn't playing baseball she is dreaming/daydreaming about baseball and replaying the same scene she has seen time and time again of Babe Ruth. It is 1945 and World War II has sent so many men off to war that now there is a women's baseball league called the All American League. Maria loves to listen to the games on the radio and dreams of playing ball too. She even imagines that she is the radio announcer of the games and plays the voice in her head as she practices with her female classmates after school each day. I think Maria would wish to be able to play on a team in the All American League.
2. Maria's Mama and Papi are not from the U.S. So they are not American citizens. Her dad migrated from India and met her mother in Mexico. The two married before crossing the border into California where they now live. Papa works for a white man named Mr. Becker. He works in the fields managing the crops and orchard that the family lives on and the house they lease from his boss next door. Mr. Becker is trying to sell his land, including the orchard and house Maria and her family are in. She has heard her Mama and Papi talk about not being citizens, not having the right to vote, and not being able to purchase land even if they have the money to do so. Maria has voiced to her parents that she would buy the land they live on from Mr. Becker if she could so that they would not have to move away when it sells to someone else. She even suggests at one point in the book that Papi try to buy the land using hers and her brothers name since they were both born in California and are considered American citizens. I know that Maria would do anything to make this dream a reality so she would wish to buy land for her Papi for sure.
3. As I mentioned before, this book takes place in 1945 during World War II. As a result of the war Maria's family and all of the families in their community (everywhere really) are on wartime rationing so food and supplies such as gasoline are very limited. Maria and her brother collect tin cans just to earn a few extra ration stamps each week to help feed the family. With the war forcing so many men to become soldiers it isn't any wonder that some of people Maria and her parents know are off at war, leaving women at home to care for their children on their own. One of Maria's good friends named Janie even ends up losing her father who is MIA and then found dead somewhere in France. Of course this affects her friend and makes Maria sad. She also hears more negative effects of the war on the radio at night when her dad listens to the news station. Maria's heart breaks for her friends loss and the loss of so many others. She voices in the book that she wished Janie hadn't lost her dad or that she hadn't felt so sad and angry. By the end of the book Hitler has been pronounced dead and times are changing but the war is not over yet. I think that if Maria could wish for the war to end sooner she would.
My rationale for selecting this alternative assessment for the book Step up to the Plate by Maria Singh is to allow students the freedom to think outside the box, just as the characters in the book did. This assignment gives readers at any level a platform to speak about what they are reading in a nontraditional format. Who among us hasn't asked themselves the rhetorical question "What if..." or "If only..." and thought then things could be different or life would get better. My idea here was to marry the reading comprehension piece with sheer imagination to inspire students to say more about the content of the book. "We have to build a community that embraces every student and provides acceptance and encouragement no matter where students are on the reading curve." Giving kids choices and a voice leaves room for creativity in their thought process. It will help them become more accomplished learners and help us not fail as teachers. "Students need to make at least some of their own choices when pursuing learning goals." (Miller, 2009)
Miller, D. (2009). The Book Whisperer. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint.
Imagine you had the ability, like a genie in a bottle, to grant a character in your book 3 wishes. What would he/she wish for? Use evidence from the book to explain why they would wish these things.
If I could grant 3 wishes to the main character, Maria, I bet she would wish to play ball in The All American League, to buy land for her Papi, and to end the war.
1. Maria loves to play baseball and has grown up playing some version of it with her best friend Connie. They had been throwing a ball at each other and swinging at them with cheap bats since they were six. Both girls are now in the fifth grade. Now Maria wants to play baseball with her friends from school. In the book her teacher Miss Newman has put together all girls team to start practicing together and improving their skills. Maria looks forward to playing every day after school and when she isn't playing baseball she is dreaming/daydreaming about baseball and replaying the same scene she has seen time and time again of Babe Ruth. It is 1945 and World War II has sent so many men off to war that now there is a women's baseball league called the All American League. Maria loves to listen to the games on the radio and dreams of playing ball too. She even imagines that she is the radio announcer of the games and plays the voice in her head as she practices with her female classmates after school each day. I think Maria would wish to be able to play on a team in the All American League.
2. Maria's Mama and Papi are not from the U.S. So they are not American citizens. Her dad migrated from India and met her mother in Mexico. The two married before crossing the border into California where they now live. Papa works for a white man named Mr. Becker. He works in the fields managing the crops and orchard that the family lives on and the house they lease from his boss next door. Mr. Becker is trying to sell his land, including the orchard and house Maria and her family are in. She has heard her Mama and Papi talk about not being citizens, not having the right to vote, and not being able to purchase land even if they have the money to do so. Maria has voiced to her parents that she would buy the land they live on from Mr. Becker if she could so that they would not have to move away when it sells to someone else. She even suggests at one point in the book that Papi try to buy the land using hers and her brothers name since they were both born in California and are considered American citizens. I know that Maria would do anything to make this dream a reality so she would wish to buy land for her Papi for sure.
3. As I mentioned before, this book takes place in 1945 during World War II. As a result of the war Maria's family and all of the families in their community (everywhere really) are on wartime rationing so food and supplies such as gasoline are very limited. Maria and her brother collect tin cans just to earn a few extra ration stamps each week to help feed the family. With the war forcing so many men to become soldiers it isn't any wonder that some of people Maria and her parents know are off at war, leaving women at home to care for their children on their own. One of Maria's good friends named Janie even ends up losing her father who is MIA and then found dead somewhere in France. Of course this affects her friend and makes Maria sad. She also hears more negative effects of the war on the radio at night when her dad listens to the news station. Maria's heart breaks for her friends loss and the loss of so many others. She voices in the book that she wished Janie hadn't lost her dad or that she hadn't felt so sad and angry. By the end of the book Hitler has been pronounced dead and times are changing but the war is not over yet. I think that if Maria could wish for the war to end sooner she would.
My rationale for selecting this alternative assessment for the book Step up to the Plate by Maria Singh is to allow students the freedom to think outside the box, just as the characters in the book did. This assignment gives readers at any level a platform to speak about what they are reading in a nontraditional format. Who among us hasn't asked themselves the rhetorical question "What if..." or "If only..." and thought then things could be different or life would get better. My idea here was to marry the reading comprehension piece with sheer imagination to inspire students to say more about the content of the book. "We have to build a community that embraces every student and provides acceptance and encouragement no matter where students are on the reading curve." Giving kids choices and a voice leaves room for creativity in their thought process. It will help them become more accomplished learners and help us not fail as teachers. "Students need to make at least some of their own choices when pursuing learning goals." (Miller, 2009)
Miller, D. (2009). The Book Whisperer. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint.
Read
June 14, 2018Alternative: Book Commercial
I think it would be a good and fun idea to make a fake movie commercial for a book. Since this book takes places in 1945 and about baseball, it could be like A League of Their Own. Or it could be dramatic, since it focuses on the effect of the Indian Independence movement and the racism in light of World War II. Since the book focuses on Maria’s Mexican mother and Indian father (and their conflicting parenting styles), it could be a family movie. As a result of all these things that could be focuses on, it would be a creative assignment (every commercial would be different).
I think it would be a good and fun idea to make a fake movie commercial for a book. Since this book takes places in 1945 and about baseball, it could be like A League of Their Own. Or it could be dramatic, since it focuses on the effect of the Indian Independence movement and the racism in light of World War II. Since the book focuses on Maria’s Mexican mother and Indian father (and their conflicting parenting styles), it could be a family movie. As a result of all these things that could be focuses on, it would be a creative assignment (every commercial would be different).
October 9, 2020
A cute middle grades book with diverse characters. It’s set during WW2 but is not a typical WW2 story.
June 20, 2017
gr 4-6 271pgs
spring 1945 Yuba City, California. 5th grader Maria Singh wants to play softball more than anything, but how can she convince her parents? Her parents, her mother from Mexico and her father from India, are very traditional especially her father.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy books involving sports or enjoyed Conking's "Sylvia and Aki"
spring 1945 Yuba City, California. 5th grader Maria Singh wants to play softball more than anything, but how can she convince her parents? Her parents, her mother from Mexico and her father from India, are very traditional especially her father.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy books involving sports or enjoyed Conking's "Sylvia and Aki"
September 3, 2017
A WWII homefront story unlike one I've read before, set in California among families of Mexican and Indian immigrants. Maria longs to play baseball, even though it's just newly becoming something girls can do and her conservative Sikh father doesn't like the idea of her playing. As the War rages across the ocean, Maria will come to question who's a friend and who's an enemy and how the idea of that can change depending on your perspective.
Although I found the characters and setting interesting, I think this book maybe set out to do a little too much and the pacing wasn't consistent. There were sometimes long parts where baseball was ignored in favor of exploring the relationships between the people in Maria's community.
I would suggest this book more for fans of historical fiction, especially fans of WWII homefront stories who have read a lot of them and are looking for something different. Sports fans will find something to appreciate here, but I don't think this book has as much sports action as most sports readers are looking for.
Although I found the characters and setting interesting, I think this book maybe set out to do a little too much and the pacing wasn't consistent. There were sometimes long parts where baseball was ignored in favor of exploring the relationships between the people in Maria's community.
I would suggest this book more for fans of historical fiction, especially fans of WWII homefront stories who have read a lot of them and are looking for something different. Sports fans will find something to appreciate here, but I don't think this book has as much sports action as most sports readers are looking for.
March 12, 2018
This book would be a good book to include for the fifth grade reading unit: Social Justice. It is a good multicultural book that is also historical fiction. It takes place in Southern California during the Second World War. Maria’s biggest dream is to play softball with her classmates but Papi doesn’t think girls should play sports or wear shorts. The problem is that Maria loves the game. The family is in crisis mode when the owner of the land they farm decides he is going to sell and move. At that time in the US, Indian immigrants could not become citizens nor could they purchase land. This story deals with the inequities of being a girl, being foreign, and sometimes one has to stand up to the social injustices around them.
June 7, 2018
This is a good historical fiction book for children nine and older. The story takes place in Yuba City, California in the spring of 1945. Maria's father is from India and her mother from Mexico. Maria's community comes together to get a girls' softball team playing while they battle the discriminatory laws of the time. There's a lot for classrooms to discuss about how prejudice is combated, scrap drives take place, and the poor work the fields. Interesting story, a little slow at times.
December 14, 2017
So sweet and perfect. *more to come soon*
September 25, 2017
The Story-
It is 1945 and World War II is happening in Europe. Fifth grader, Maria Singh, wants to play ball, just like the women in the All American Leagues. Her chance becomes reality when her teacher puts together an all girl softball team. However, Maria's Papi from India does not want her wearing shorts, and her Mama from Mexico, wants her to keep an eye on her little brother Emilio.
Determined, Maria sets out to follow her dream, but life is not so easy. Her father is not allowed to become a citizen of the US and thus, can't buy land. When the owner of their farm decides to move, Maria's family needs to come up with a plan, and fast. As her father fights for his rights in the US and for the rights of his people against the British in India, Maria must learn to deal with the hatred of people who don't understand people who are different, whether in religion, color or country.
Maria takes a risk and steps up to the school board, asking for a ball field for kids to play in and sports for girls. At home, her Mama and Papi also fight, for their land and freedoms.
My Thoughts-
This book is a treasure trove of the American immigrant experience. Previously, the Indian/Mexican interracial couples of the 1940's and their experiences were unknown to me. This book does a great job highlighting the differences between the cultures and the loving ways they fit together.
Maria is just like many other girls. She wants to be herself and break free from the rules of her parents. Of course, her journey comes full circle when she realizes that her problems involving softball are actually small compared to the world problems of war and freedom. The author combines all of the problems, big and small alike, into a seamless story.
I really enjoyed Maria's inner dialogue. She is smart for her age, and unravels words and feelings of hate and revenge for what they really are, fear and insecurity. Maria is able to make mistakes, learn from them, ask forgiveness and then move on. She faces the racism and sexism in stand up ways and learns to move beyond the aggression their feelings cause, and actually search out solutions.
This is a great read. I'm giving it 5 stars!
It is 1945 and World War II is happening in Europe. Fifth grader, Maria Singh, wants to play ball, just like the women in the All American Leagues. Her chance becomes reality when her teacher puts together an all girl softball team. However, Maria's Papi from India does not want her wearing shorts, and her Mama from Mexico, wants her to keep an eye on her little brother Emilio.
Determined, Maria sets out to follow her dream, but life is not so easy. Her father is not allowed to become a citizen of the US and thus, can't buy land. When the owner of their farm decides to move, Maria's family needs to come up with a plan, and fast. As her father fights for his rights in the US and for the rights of his people against the British in India, Maria must learn to deal with the hatred of people who don't understand people who are different, whether in religion, color or country.
Maria takes a risk and steps up to the school board, asking for a ball field for kids to play in and sports for girls. At home, her Mama and Papi also fight, for their land and freedoms.
My Thoughts-
This book is a treasure trove of the American immigrant experience. Previously, the Indian/Mexican interracial couples of the 1940's and their experiences were unknown to me. This book does a great job highlighting the differences between the cultures and the loving ways they fit together.
Maria is just like many other girls. She wants to be herself and break free from the rules of her parents. Of course, her journey comes full circle when she realizes that her problems involving softball are actually small compared to the world problems of war and freedom. The author combines all of the problems, big and small alike, into a seamless story.
I really enjoyed Maria's inner dialogue. She is smart for her age, and unravels words and feelings of hate and revenge for what they really are, fear and insecurity. Maria is able to make mistakes, learn from them, ask forgiveness and then move on. She faces the racism and sexism in stand up ways and learns to move beyond the aggression their feelings cause, and actually search out solutions.
This is a great read. I'm giving it 5 stars!
August 11, 2017
Maria's very progressive fifth grade teacher has decided to start a girls' softball team and Maria wants to be on it more than anything! First she needs to convince her parents. Maria's mother is Mexican-American and her father is Punjabi. Their community in Yuba City, CA in 1945 is full of many of these adha-adha (half and half) families. It will take some convincing for them to let her wear shorts and her little brother is too young to walk home from school by himself. This is not the only battle that Maria faces as World War II drags on. There are ration cards and scrap metal collections, as well as worries about community members fighting overseas. They rent their home from a man with German ancestry, and when prejudice against him has him wanting to move, they fear they will lose everything. Maria isn't perfect. She often makes bad choices, even though her intentions are good. Readers will be rooting for her, both at bat and at home. Highly recommended for grades 4 and up!
I was fascinated to learn of a community that mixed cultures so fluidly in 1945. The Punjabi men came to America to make a better life for themselves, but were forbidden from marrying outside of their race. Women from India were not allowed into the US at the time. They found wives among the Mexican American community instead. (Because race is social construct, they all identified as "brown.") It is my understanding that Yuba City was the only place that this Mexican-Punjabi culture existed, with Catholics, Sikhs, and Muslims all living together as one.
I was fascinated to learn of a community that mixed cultures so fluidly in 1945. The Punjabi men came to America to make a better life for themselves, but were forbidden from marrying outside of their race. Women from India were not allowed into the US at the time. They found wives among the Mexican American community instead. (Because race is social construct, they all identified as "brown.") It is my understanding that Yuba City was the only place that this Mexican-Punjabi culture existed, with Catholics, Sikhs, and Muslims all living together as one.
March 27, 2018
Maria is half and half.
Half Mexican. Half Punjabi Indian.
She lives on a farm in California. The year is 1945.
Step up to the Plate is a fascinating history lesson wrapped up in an enjoyable tale. There were timeless moments that would ring true for any nine year old and moments that were unique to the community Maria lived in. The main focus of the story is a burgeoning softball team that Maria desperately wants to be a part of. She bribes her little brother many times throughout the book, buying his silence and cooperation, so she can go to softball practice without her traditionally minded father finding out. Things topple pretty quickly though. Maria realizes she cannot play softball in a dress. Then her little brother walks home without her and gets in a fight. Her friend's father dies on the battlefield. Her own father finds out the owner of the farm he works is selling the land that Maria's family lives on. Maria's best friend hints that Maria's father might be a coward. And the town council decides against building a new baseball field in the new town park.
Suddenly her worries about whether or not her father will let her wear shorts fade into the background as Maria discovers that her family might have to move out of the wonderful community filled with kids and families just like her.
In the end it is Maria's aunt's continuous encouragement that gives Maria the strength and voice to ask for change and I think readers will be pleased with all of the changes she asks for.
Half Mexican. Half Punjabi Indian.
She lives on a farm in California. The year is 1945.
Step up to the Plate is a fascinating history lesson wrapped up in an enjoyable tale. There were timeless moments that would ring true for any nine year old and moments that were unique to the community Maria lived in. The main focus of the story is a burgeoning softball team that Maria desperately wants to be a part of. She bribes her little brother many times throughout the book, buying his silence and cooperation, so she can go to softball practice without her traditionally minded father finding out. Things topple pretty quickly though. Maria realizes she cannot play softball in a dress. Then her little brother walks home without her and gets in a fight. Her friend's father dies on the battlefield. Her own father finds out the owner of the farm he works is selling the land that Maria's family lives on. Maria's best friend hints that Maria's father might be a coward. And the town council decides against building a new baseball field in the new town park.
Suddenly her worries about whether or not her father will let her wear shorts fade into the background as Maria discovers that her family might have to move out of the wonderful community filled with kids and families just like her.
In the end it is Maria's aunt's continuous encouragement that gives Maria the strength and voice to ask for change and I think readers will be pleased with all of the changes she asks for.
March 20, 2019
This book tells the story of 9-year-old Maria Singh, the daughter of a Mexican mother and Indian father, growing up during World War 2. Maria's father is a farmer and her mother sews to make extra money for the family. Krishnaswami highlights the struggle for this working family to stay afloat, especially with the rationing that is happening during the wartime. Also, Krishnaswami touches on the racism that this family and other people of Color experienced during this time, including the Japanese who were put in internment camps. She writes about this difficult topics in a way that younger students can connect to and start to ask meaningful questions about to fully understand.
Maria dreams of playing baseball like the girls she hears about on the radio, and joins the softball team that her teacher, Miss Newman, starts at her school. The game helps her feel empowered and she learns many important lessons through playing the game with her friends. This book represents people from many diverse backgrounds, especially those who are not usually represented in children's books.
This would be a great read aloud for 4th through 6th graders given the difficult themes that it touches on. This would be a great book to use in addition to curriculum about World War 2 because it helps students understand what life would be like during that time for children and people of Color. I would use this as an option for a book group in the upper elementary grades because it would be a great way for students to talk about text, and learn to read like writers.
Maria dreams of playing baseball like the girls she hears about on the radio, and joins the softball team that her teacher, Miss Newman, starts at her school. The game helps her feel empowered and she learns many important lessons through playing the game with her friends. This book represents people from many diverse backgrounds, especially those who are not usually represented in children's books.
This would be a great read aloud for 4th through 6th graders given the difficult themes that it touches on. This would be a great book to use in addition to curriculum about World War 2 because it helps students understand what life would be like during that time for children and people of Color. I would use this as an option for a book group in the upper elementary grades because it would be a great way for students to talk about text, and learn to read like writers.
Read
January 21, 2020Maria Singh just wants to play baseball. She listens to games, practices her throws, and dreams of playing on a league team. When her fifth grade teacher starts a girls softball team, Maria is there. But she doesn't have the right pants or really any pants and her parents may or may not know that she's out playing. Set against the backdrop of WWII, it was refreshing to hear a story from a culture that we don't typically see in middle grade novels, set in a small rural town in Northern California during this era.
For me I feel that this is diversity in books done well. This is not a book about Diversty. It's about baseball, but the experience of race and racism, immigrants and immigration is so interwoven into life that you can't have the story without addressing those things as well. They bubble up throughout and can pose problems for Maria, but they aren't the focus of her life. Maria's mother is Mexican and her father is Punjabi as are many families in Yuba City in the early 1940s. Her parents farm another man's land because her father does not have a legal way to become a citizen and cannot purchase land. Both her parents are fairly traditional, but still give her some leeway. Along the way Maria comes to see some of her classmates in a different light as well as follow along with the war.
Fast paced and engaging this would make a great classroom or bedtime read aloud that can also spark conversations about what it means to be American, how wars affect us all and how, and the struggle of being second generation. Even better if you also love baseball.
For me I feel that this is diversity in books done well. This is not a book about Diversty. It's about baseball, but the experience of race and racism, immigrants and immigration is so interwoven into life that you can't have the story without addressing those things as well. They bubble up throughout and can pose problems for Maria, but they aren't the focus of her life. Maria's mother is Mexican and her father is Punjabi as are many families in Yuba City in the early 1940s. Her parents farm another man's land because her father does not have a legal way to become a citizen and cannot purchase land. Both her parents are fairly traditional, but still give her some leeway. Along the way Maria comes to see some of her classmates in a different light as well as follow along with the war.
Fast paced and engaging this would make a great classroom or bedtime read aloud that can also spark conversations about what it means to be American, how wars affect us all and how, and the struggle of being second generation. Even better if you also love baseball.
July 25, 2017
Lots of potential for supporting deeper thinking in the classroom. Book talk this with 4th-6th grade students for independent reading, OR make this a core text for a literature circle, OR read this aloud to the class and provide opportunities for small groups to contemplate high level thinking questions like, "What does Maria observe (at home, in school, in the community) that influences/shapes her thinking?" or "How is Maria's identity shaped by having parents from two different countries?" If your students are studying the American Revolution, ask questions like "Almost two hundred years later, do the American laws (that restrict citizenship and land ownership) described in this story align with the beliefs of those who signed the Declaration of Independence?" Engage the students in asking questions about the real-life circumstances that are depicted in this book and then engaging in research to find answers. They might ask questions like, "When were people from India granted citizenship in the U.S.?" or "Are there still groups of people we do not grant citizenship to? Or voting rights?" Or focus on researching how women's rights continued to improve in the 1940's and beyond...so much you could do with this book. Or you could simply make it available for students to read and enjoy on their own:)
August 12, 2020
With the men off fighting in World War II, women are taking over in factories and on the baseball diamond. Maria is excited to follow their example in her school's first all-girls softball team. She's worried her Papi won't approve, so she keeps her practices secret. But soon she has bigger worries. Their landlord is German-American and being forced to move away. Her Papi was born in India and her mama in Mexico, so even though they have the savings to buy their farm, they're not allowed to own land in America. Will Maria's family lose their home? Will Maria be able to play in the game against the Ravens? Read Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh to find out!
I absolutely adored this book! It has great appeal to fans of A League of Their Own but is set in a Mexican-Hindu community. A lot of great historical content is worked in like Maria's aunt working in a factory and the discriminatory laws at the time. The characters are what really drives the story though and they're all well-rounded and easy to root for. A lot of the story deals with interpersonal relationships within families and between friends in a way that will be easy for modern kids to relate. Strongly recommended for grades 3 and up.
I absolutely adored this book! It has great appeal to fans of A League of Their Own but is set in a Mexican-Hindu community. A lot of great historical content is worked in like Maria's aunt working in a factory and the discriminatory laws at the time. The characters are what really drives the story though and they're all well-rounded and easy to root for. A lot of the story deals with interpersonal relationships within families and between friends in a way that will be easy for modern kids to relate. Strongly recommended for grades 3 and up.
December 4, 2024
Maria wants to play baseball and wear shorts, but those big problems soon seem very small. In this book Maria navigates constant change within her own life, and the people around her. Change is a common theme in this book as Maria constantly faces change in her daily life, some good and some bad. Another theme of the book is loss. Both of these themes are connected as change leads to loss while loss leads back to change. Readers could learn that they should keep fighting for what they believe is right. This book fits in the historical fiction genre as aspects of it are based on true experiences. It was a WOW book for me because I was given a new perspective to world events during this time period.
One writing craft that the author uses is the use of multiple languages. Since Maria’s father speaks Punjabi, and her mother speaks Spanish, both are mixed into the text throughout the story. I would consider this book to be anti-bias because it includes characters from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Even within Maria’s family there are different cultures represented.
One writing craft that the author uses is the use of multiple languages. Since Maria’s father speaks Punjabi, and her mother speaks Spanish, both are mixed into the text throughout the story. I would consider this book to be anti-bias because it includes characters from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Even within Maria’s family there are different cultures represented.
October 10, 2018
All 9 year old Maria wants to do is play on her teacher's all girl softball team, but things are getting complicated with the war, prejudice against her Punjabi father, and the cultural expectations from her Mexican mother. This was such a great read, filled with baseball, history, and lots of great character moments. We managed to get girls in sports, fighting for a field in a democracy, the impact of WW2, and cultural history about America. I had no idea there were so many Indian/Mexican families in California. I had no idea that women who married, for example, Indian men who weren't allowed to become American citizens, were no longer able to buy their own land as they had been before their marriage. That was a horrifying bit of American history right there. But I liked Maria, and she grew up in a very believable way through the months here, and I liked her family and friends, as well. Definitely a book I'll be recommending a lot at work.
March 6, 2020
Alternative Assessment:
Step Up To The Plate, Maria Singh is a realistic fiction story about a girl who desperately wants to play softball, but it's 1945 and girls don't commonly play sports or wear shorts. Maria's family is half and half-Indian and Mexican. A book commercial or book trailer would be a great way for students to demonstrate understanding of this text in a fun and creative way. Students love to talk and share stories, what better way to share information about a book than through a book commercial or trailer. One medium students can use to demonstrate understanding is by using Powtoon (https://www.powtoon.com/home/ ) See upload in Canvas.
Krishnaswami, U. (2017). Step up to the plate, maria singh. Tu Books.
Miller, D. & Anderson, J. (2009). The book whisperer: awakening the inner reader in every child. New York, NY: Scholastic INC.
Step Up To The Plate, Maria Singh is a realistic fiction story about a girl who desperately wants to play softball, but it's 1945 and girls don't commonly play sports or wear shorts. Maria's family is half and half-Indian and Mexican. A book commercial or book trailer would be a great way for students to demonstrate understanding of this text in a fun and creative way. Students love to talk and share stories, what better way to share information about a book than through a book commercial or trailer. One medium students can use to demonstrate understanding is by using Powtoon (https://www.powtoon.com/home/ ) See upload in Canvas.
Krishnaswami, U. (2017). Step up to the plate, maria singh. Tu Books.
Miller, D. & Anderson, J. (2009). The book whisperer: awakening the inner reader in every child. New York, NY: Scholastic INC.
May 30, 2018
When I think about Asians coming to work in America and then not being able to bring families over, I think of Chinese immigrants building railroads, but there was also a population of men from India - while it was still under British rule - who ended up marrying Mexican wives because their brown skin allowed them to get around California's laws against interracial marriage.
This book covers some terrible things, but as the main character slowly starts to realize what different things mean, her supportive relationships and personal goals provide enough distraction that nothing should be too overwhelming for readers who are relating to her.
I am not a huge baseball fan, but the author sells Maria's enthusiasm for the game.
This book covers some terrible things, but as the main character slowly starts to realize what different things mean, her supportive relationships and personal goals provide enough distraction that nothing should be too overwhelming for readers who are relating to her.
I am not a huge baseball fan, but the author sells Maria's enthusiasm for the game.
Read
November 25, 2019This book is about a young girl that learns to play softball in 1945. This book is kind of a side affect of the world war 2. The teacher was inspired by Babe Ruth and the all american women's baseball league to teach softball to girls. This book describes the experience. This book is historical fiction because it is it made up events in a historical time frame. I think this book can be used to show the differences in what happens in society when there are major events. I think it also can show precursors to women's rights movement. Many different writing prompts can be generated such as changes that occurred because of major historical events.
May 1, 2021
Many interesting layers in this story. In the 1940s, a young California girl finds that she loves playing on the school's softball team. This brings conflicts with her parents (Mexican Catholic mother and Sikh father from India) and among her classmates of various backgrounds. Then there are overlaying historical events that affect her world; a classmate's father is killed in Normandy, Indian immigrants are trying to persuade Congress to allow them to become US citizens, distrust of people with German heritage, and discrimination/racism. A lot of heavy topics for a kid's book but they're handled well.
October 16, 2017
This book captures a multicultural history in which families merged Indian and Mexican cultures in a small town in California. Described through the eyes of a daughter who wants to play in the schools first all girl softball league, author Krishnaswami paints an intriguing history of a town and reminds us of the many challenges that immigrants have faced in this country trying to make it their own. This book is a great example of just how many American stories there are left to tell and discover and I am delighted that authors such as this one are published.
September 5, 2017
Who knew there was a community of adha-adhas (fathers from India, mothers from Mexico) in Yuba City, California, in the 1940's. Maria Singh is a member of this community and a girl who wants to play ball in spite of obstacles working against her. A wonderful story. I had the privilege of working with Uma as she researched and wrote much of this story during our Bisti Writing Project years. So wonderful to see it in print. Go Maria! Go Uma!
April 16, 2018
Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh is about a 9 year old girl living in California who loves to play softball but is growing up in a time where WW2 is still going on, and gender inequality is still a major issue in the world. For a nine year old, Maria learns huge life lessons, like finding her voice and making decisions most nine year olds wouldn't want too, especially when their parents do not support her decisions. -Lea Fabrizzi
May 3, 2018
I don’t like to read books with WWII settings, but my 9 yo daughter read this first and said “I should read it”, so I did. I’m really happy I read it. I haven’t read a book about the Mexican/Indian experience in the 30’s, from the view of a child. Eye opening and interesting. Sad to think it wasn’t that long ago. Bonus that it was based in a town near my hometown. I’m glad my daughter is being exposed to these stories.
November 26, 2019
There is a girl that loves baseball. All she wants to do is play baseball. Her father does not like her to because she is a girl and she can not play in a dress. Maria's family is mixed. This books takes place in the 70's. Her father is trying to find his place as an immigrant and maria is trying to find her place as a girl. Maria is such a hero. This is a great chapter book. It is very inspirational.
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