Customer Reviews

Baseball Bats for Christmas

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a wonderful story which conveys the resourcefulness of children. More than that, Michael provides a view from within the Inuit culture. He illuminates for those of us who did not grow up on the Arctic Circle what it is to live in that harsh environment. At the same time, he shows us how alike we all are: enjoying the holidays and a good baseball game with friends.
Vladyana's magnificent art is an added bonus.
I bought this book after hearing Michael tell the story at the International Reading Association teachers' conference in 1999. Since that time, it has become one of my favorites, as well as a favorite of my students and my colleagues.

"Baseball Bats for Christmas" is a good book which reveals what life was like in Repulse Bay in 1955. The reader learns about Arctic Circle and Inuit life including living in igloos and sod huts, a barren treeless realm, a land with no access to the outside world except by aeroplane, and lack of department store toys like baseball bats. Children with asthma may be able to identify with Arvaarluk, an Inuit boy, in the story who suffers from asthma himself. However, Arvaarluk's asthma condition is referenced to in passing only three times. This book takes the reader on a journey to Repulse Bay above the Hudson Bay and Arctic Circle. The Christmas message is present, however it is weak. The author does present life in the church on Christmas Eve and also the interesting Christmas custom of exchanging or actually trading gifts at Christmas when inhabitants of Repulse Bay took their most favorite thing in the world and gave it to their best friend. The other Christmas strand which the author developed was the making of real wooden baseball bats from the trees that were brought to Repulse Bay for planting, since there were no trees there. All in all a delightful book but weak on the Christmas theme.

i read this book to my brother who has asthma too. he is 4 and he realy enjoyed it i recommend it.