Cover of Baseball in April and Other Stories

Baseball in April and Other Stories

by Gary Soto · 1990

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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.

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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

Genre
literary fictionliterary fictionMore like thisLess of thisromanceromanceMore like thisLess of thiscoming of agecoming of ageMore like thisLess of thishumorhumorMore like thisLess of this
Themes
sportssportsMore like thisLess of thisdiversitydiversityMore like thisLess of this
Setting
1990s1990sMore like thisLess of thisCaliforniaCaliforniaMore like thisLess of thisSpainSpainMore like thisLess of this
Audience
young adultchildrensmiddle grade
Length
short · 128 pages
Form
short storiesshort storiesMore like thisLess of this

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