Baseball Saved Us by Ken Mochizuki

Mochizuki, K., & Lee, D. (2004). Baseball saved us. Pine Plains, N.Y.: Lee & Low Books Inc.

Have you ever felt left out or different?  I bet you have at one point.

This book Baseball Saved Us is about a little boy that feels left out because he was different.  During World War II his family and other Japanese families were sent to a camp in the middle of a desert. They had to stay behind wire fences and couldn't get out until the war ended. 

This is a great story about a boy that goes through things that many kids your age never go through.  If you would like to see what happens to him when he goes back home you should check this book out at the library.

Holes by Louis Sachar

Sachar, L. (1998). Holes. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Stanley Yelnats was given a choice. The judge said, "You may go to jail, or you may go to Camp Green Lake." Stanley was from a poor family. He had never been to camp before.

Have you ever been accused of something you haven't done?  I bet that's most of you! I have a story for you!

Stanley Yelnats is a boy that was accused of taking something that wasn't his.  He didn't really take them though.  Through these unfortunate events, he got in trouble and had to decide whether he wanted to go to jail or to camp.  He didn't really blame the judge or anyone blaming him.  He is used to being blamed for things and having misfortune because of his "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather." Stanley didn't know what he was getting himself into when he decided to go to camp, because this wasn't just any camp!  This was Camp Green Lake. 

At Camp Green Lake the boys were supposed to be "building character" by digging holes-five foot deep and five foot wide-everyday!  It doesn't take long for Stanley to make some friends.  After a few days of camp Stanley starts to figure out that there are other things going on at Camp Green Lake, that involve the warden.  Stanley goes out on an adventure to find out why the boys are really digging holes.

This is a book that I really enjoy reading and I recommend it to my students every year.  Our librarian has it in stock if any of you would like to go and check it out to see if Stanley ever uncovers the truth about Camp Green Lake.