We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

Bibliography:
Nelson, Kadir. 2008. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN-13 9780786808328 ISBN-10 0786808322

Plot Summary:
Organized by “Innings”, this is the story of the Negro League as told by the players. There are many personal anecdotes related to why the league was formed, who formed it, which players were the best/most noteworthy, and the general lifestyle of the league. In addition, it addressed the attitude of the Negro League players and owners toward the integration of Baseball.

Critical Analysis:
Even as someone who is not very passionate about baseball this book fascinated me. The story, which seems rarely told to someone outside of the African-American culture, is told on such a personal level and through so many voices that being drawn in is inevitable. The voices, however, are never identified and so it becomes the story of an entire people. Through these pages, and the artwork of Kadir Nelson, a whole new world is opened up where the people of two different cultures can be better understood: the African Americans who have had to grow up with such segregation in their past and any fans of baseball who realize talent when they see it.

Review Excerpts:
Starred Review in School Library Journal: A lost piece of American history comes to life in Kadir Nelson's elegant and eloquent history of the Negro Leagues and its gifted baseball players… Listeners glimpse the pain black Americans endured because of bigotry and segregation, but the true center of this story is the joy of baseball and the joy men felt at being able to play the game.
Starred Review in Booklist: Award-winning illustrator and first-time author Nelson’s history of the Negro Leagues, told from the vantage point of an unnamed narrator, reads like an old-timer regaling his grandchildren with tales of baseball greats Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and others who forged the path toward breaking the race barrier before Jackie Robinson made his historic debut. The narrative showcases the pride and comradery of the Negro Leagues, celebrates triumphing on one’s own terms and embracing adversity, even as it clearly shows the “us” and “them” mentality bred by segregation.

Connections:
Here is one general educational book about baseball and two books about baseball players who were segregated out (one because of race, the other because of sex).
Herzog, Brad. H is for Home Run: A Baseball Alphabet. Illustrated by Melanie Rose-Popp. ISBN 9781585362196
Hayes, Florence. Skid. Illustrated by Elton C. Fax. ISBN 9780395068083
Hopkinson, Deborah. Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings. Illustrated by Terry Widener. ISBN 9780689833007