Baseball in April and Other Stories [Paperback]

Gary Soto (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000 | Age Range: 8 and up | Lexile Measure: 830L (What's this?)

The Mexican American author Gary Soto draws on his own experience of growing up in California’s Central Valley in this finely crafted collection of eleven short stories that reveal big themes in the small events of daily life. Crooked teeth, ponytailed girls, embarrassing grandfathers, imposter Barbies, annoying brothers, Little League tryouts, and karate lessons weave the colorful fabric of Soto’s world. The smart, tough, vulnerable kids in these stories are Latino, but their dreams and desires belong to all of us. Glossary of Spanish terms included.

Awards: ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist Editors’ Choice, Horn Book Fanfare Selection, Judy Lopez Memorial Honor Book, Parenting Magazine’s Reading Magic Award, John and Patricia Beatty Award

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Poet Soto ( A Fire in My Hands ) has written 11 contemporary short stories set in the poorer districts of central California. Sprinkled with Spanish expressions and phrases, the collection has a distinct Latino flavor, yet the conflicts and feelings expressed are universal. Whether conveying the joy of receiving a new doll, anxiety over Little League tryouts or the desire to stand above the crowd, Soto's writing is honest and moving. Although the narrative's subtle quality may not appeal to all readers, most will recognize truths revealed through everyday events and will appreciate Soto's ability to crystallize a moment. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7-- Insightful about the characteristics of early adolescents, Soto tells 11 short stories about everyday problems of growing up. Latinos in central California are the focus of the stories, but the events are typical of young teens anywhere in the United States. The main characters try out for Little League teams, take karate lessons, try to get the attention of the opposite sex, and are embarrassed by their grandparents' behavior. These day-to-day events reveal the sensitivity, humor, and vulnerability of today's young people. The descriptions and dialogue are used to advantage, helping to create and sustain the mood. A glossary of Spanish terms is included. Young readers should easily identify with the situations, emotions, and outcomes presented in these fine short stories. --Janice C. Hayes, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper; 1 edition (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152025677
• ISBN-13: 978-0152025670
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,958 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Multicultural Stories > Hispanic & Latino
  • #17 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Sports > Baseball
  • #31 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Short Story Collections

More About the Author

Born in Fresno, California to Mexican American parents, Gary Soto learned the hard work ethic through his share of chores, including mowing lawns, picking grapes, painting house numbers on street curbs, and washing cars. His hard work paid off at California State University at Fresno, from which he graduated with an English degree, and later at the University of California at Irvine, where he earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.Gary Soto is an acclaimed poet, essayist, and fiction writer. The awards for this multi-talented author are many, ranging from the U.S. Award for International Poetry Forum in 1977 for his first published book of poetry, The Elements of San Joaquin, to a Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award in 1985 for Living Up the Street, his first published work of prose recollections. His short story collection Baseball in April, was named an American Library Association's Best Book for Young Adults. In 1993 Gary Soto received the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video for Pool Party, and in 1995 he was nominated for a National Book Award.His other credits include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the California Arts Council. Gary Soto is also one of the youngest poets to appear in the Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry. Several of his books have been translated into French, Spanish and Italian.Too Many Tamales was named a Booklist Books for Youth Editors' Choices of 1993. Hazel Rochman of Booklist said, "Gary Soto is an accomplished poet and adult writer, and his children's stories are widely popular. His first entry into the picture book genre is a joyful success."When he is not writing, Mr. Soto serves as a volunteer English teacher at his church. He also enjoys eating at new restaurants, which he does often with his wife, Carolyn, and their daughter Mariko. Other members of the Soto household include their two cats, Corky and Sharkie. The Soto family resides in Berkeley, California.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must read! April 19, 2002

By Terry Hoffmeyer

Format:Paperback

I am a college student attending Northern Michigan University in the Elementary Education program. I have read quite a number of books this semester and this has to be my favorite. While at first I was not crazy about reading a book that featured Mexican-Americans, I soon erased any doubt I had about the book. This book was not only about Mexican-Americans, it was about every single child that has grown up in the last twenty years. Mr. Soto has truly captured what it is like to grow up. The book talks about riding bikes, talking to girls for the first time, spending time with your grandparents, not having to go on the family vacation for the first time, and wanting to take karate lesson because you saw how cool karate could be. If you have trouble remembering what it was like growing up, read this book and you will remember everything that ever happened to you as a child.
What this book really hits on is that children grow up and have that same hopes and dreams that every other child in the world has. As a future teacher I would recommend this book to every teacher. While the book may not hold a significant academic value, it definitely holds a strong social value for children. It allows children to see that other children are going through the same exact thing they are. I commend Mr. Soto for publishing such a fine book that looks at the world in the simplest of ways; through a child's eyes.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great storytelling September 16, 2005

By Invisible Man

Format:Paperback

I discovered Gary Soto's poetry in a public library in Nebraska. Then I read his short stories, my favorite being "Baseball in April." Like his poetry, these stories are beautiful in that they reveal a child's inner thought life; they also show the challenges that teenagers go through.

Soto takes us back to his childhood in California. The stories occur in sunny Fresno, which is in the Central Valley. The characters, dilemmas, and emotions that he evokes are so real that I often read them over saying, "Yes, I remember feeling like that."

I mostly read adult literature but have been reading a lot in young adult literature, because I often forget what it was like to be a young boy. Soto has a gift for recalling these events and making them come alive again. I've read this collection three times and have read all of Soto's poetry. I hightly recommend "Baseball in April," as well as the poetry collection "Black Hair."

Also recommended: How to Lose Your Faith in Divinity School

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Collection May 31, 2001

By Edward Aycock

Format:Paperback

This is my first introduction to Gary Soto, and I must say that I enjoyed it. Most notable about these books is that they just follow the lives of the various characters in their stories who just happen to be Latino. Except for the glossary at the end of the book, this book was not written to "introduce" us gringo's to another culture. Rather, it's a book about boys and girls who have the same dreams and aspirations that are universal. These characters do not set out to change the world, but rather just get by day by day in the little space of earth that they inhabit. Very well done, perhaps written a bit simply at times, but for the most part, these stories are enjoyable.