Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
Uma Krishnaswami
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Nine-year-old Maria Singh longs to play softball in the first-ever girls' team forming in Yuba City, California. It's the spring of 1945, and World War II is dragging on. Miss Newman, Maria's teacher, is inspired by Babe Ruth and the All-American Girls' League to start a girls' softball team at their school. Meanwhile, Maria's parents--Papi from India and Mama from Mexico--can no longer protect their children from prejudice and from the discriminatory laws of the land. When the family is on the brink of losing their farm, Maria must decide if she has what it takes to step up and find her voice in an unfair world. In this fascinating middle grade novel, award-winning author Uma Krishnaswami sheds light on a little-known chapter of American history set in a community whose families made multicultural choices before the word had been invented.

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Adventure
  • Fiction
  • Sports

Age Level: 

  • 8 - 12
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Maria Singh is a courageous nine-year-old girl living in California. It is 1945, and with the World War II situation, things are not so great for Maria’s family. Her family is about to lose their farm. In these tough times, the one thing Maria wants to do is play on her school's first-ever girls’ softball team. Maria’s father (Papi) is from India where people did not approve of girls running around in shorts and playing sports. Further, her challenges are compounded by racial bullying in schools.

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Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh takes place in Yuba City, California when World War II is raging. The story is about a girl named Maria, whose dad is from India and her mom is from Mexico.  Maria longs to play softball on a newly forming girls’ softball team, but she must convince her parents to allow her to play. Then, the county board decides not to build the new softball field they are going to play on. However, their teacher encourages Maria and her classmates to speak up to keep the ball field by going to the county board meeting in Yuba City.

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