Baseball in April and Other Stories

Written by Gary Soto. Gary Soto is an educator, author, and poet of Mexican American decent.  He uses his own childhood and experiences growing up in a Latino community in California and clearly draws on stories of young people that have also grown up in his home town of Fresno. For more information click here.

Genre: Fiction
Theme: Hispanic/Latino Culture
Ages: 9-14

Summary: This text includes 11 short stories of Mexican American youth.  The stories are perfect for young adults because they include themes which are easily relatable.  Coming of age stories, growing up, trying to make the baseball team, first loves, friendship, loyalty and family, are all big themes which students of any ethnicity can relate to. Although the characters may act tough on the outside, readers are let in on their secret vulnerability, dreams, and desires.

Link to Picture

Pre-Reading Activity: I want all of you students to close your eyes and picture this situation.  You are 11 years old, and you are nervous.  What are you nervous about?  You and your brother are going to try out for the baseball team.  This is the only fun activity that you can do with other children in your neighborhood.  Think about the emotions and hopes you would have going into that activity.

Post-Reading Activity:  Have students talk in small groups about the overall themes of which small story they have have done for assigned readings.

Reflection: Something that I really liked about this text is that there are tiny cultural slang or Spanish words integrated within a story.  They are placed appropriately enough that young reader could understand the word meanings from the context clues.  If not though the text provides a glossary at the end of the book with the definitions of phrases, expressions, and Spanish words included.  The stories are short and sweet, but you quckly get a sense for the setting, characters, and theme of each individual story.  Each vignette is a snap show into a young person's life that the reader can quickly become acquainted with and develops a sense of connection to the character's situation.