We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

Bibliography

Nelson, Kadir. We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. New York: Hyperion, 2008. ISBN 978-078680832-8

Plot Summary

Using an "Everyman" player as his narrator, Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through the decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947.

Critical Analysis

Keeping with the baseball theme the book is broken up into innings instead of chapters.
The book is organized chronologically from the creation of the negro leagues to the their decline.  The index, glossary, acknowledgements, and bibliography are included in the extra innings section.  The book is told in a story format, using a narrator, to give the historical facts a more personal connection.  Nelson weaves baseball, history, and the social issues of the time into a captivating story.  The included quotes from real players add weight to the authenticity of the story.  The highlight of this book is the wonderful, expressive, oil painted illustrations that are included on almost every page and really bring the players and story to life.   Once you have read this book it is easy to see why it has earned so many awards, including the prestigious Coretta Scott King Book Award.



Awards and Excerpts

Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2009 Honor Book Illustrator United States

Coretta Scott King Book Award, 2009 Winner Author United States

Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2008 Winner Book You'd Like to see Win the Caldecott Medal United States

Cybil Award, 2008 Finalist Non-Fiction Middle Grade/Young Adult Book United States

International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honor List, 2010 Honour List Illustrator Canada

Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children's Literature, 2009 Winner California United States

New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year, 2008 Winner United States

Odyssey Award, 2010 Honor United States

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, 2009 Honor Book United States

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2009 Winner United States

School Library Journal Battle of the Kids' Books, 2009 Nominee United States

Society of Illustrators Original Art Award, 2008 Silver Medal United States

Society of Illustrators' Award, 2008 Silver Medal United States

Society of School Librarians International Book Awards, 2008 Honor Book Social Studies - Grades K-6 United States

School Library Journal review excerpt “Nelson offers an appreciative tribute to the Negro Leagues. Nelson's brilliant, almost iconic paintings vividly complement his account. The artist brings to light the character and inherent dignity of his subjects. It is an engaging tribute that should resonate with a wide audience and delight baseball fans of all ages.”

BookList review excerpt “If the story is the pitch, though, it's the artwork that blasts the book into the stands. The stories and artwork are a tribute to the spirit of the Negro Leaguers, who were much more than also-rans and deserve a more prominent place on baseball's history shelves.”

Connections

Other Books by Kadir Nelson:
Heart and Soul : The Story of America and African Americans (2011)
Change Has Come : An Artist Celebrates our American Spirit (2009)
He's Got the Whole World in his Hands (2005)

Other books on Negro League Baseball:
Stars in the Shadows: The Negro League All-Star Game of 1934 by Charles R. Smith (2012)
Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball by Lawrence D. Hogan (2006)
A Negro League Scrapbook by Carole Boston Weatherford (2005)
The Negro Leagues, 1869-1960 by Leslie A. Heaphy (2003)

Activities and Discussion Topics:

The Negro League Baseball Museum is a national treasure. If you live nearby, visit.
If you can’t visit, explore its Web site, http://www.nlbm.com/s/index.cfm

Compare the playing style of the players in the Negro Leagues with the players in the
Majors. How was the playing style the same? How was it different?

Baseball card collecting was an important part of the Negro Leagues. Choose a player
from the leagues and create both sides of the card, include a picture of the player and
statistics available at http://www.nlbpa.com/the_athletes.html

How many Negro League players were finally elected to the National Baseball Hall of
Fame? How were they selected to the Major League Hall of Fame?
http://web.baseballhalloffame.org

Athletes should show good sportsmanship, even when things are not going well. Find
some examples where the players demonstrated good sportsmanship, even when it was
difficult.


Link to Coretta Scott King Book Awards 2009 Discussion Guide