Bat 6

Bat 6

            The story of Bat 6 written by Virginia Euwer Wolff revolves around a group of very different sixth grade girls who a part of the same softball team circa 1949 in Oregon. The story centers on the girls that make up the Barlow Team, a group of misfits if you will that include one Japanese American girl who comes back after being evicted from her home and sent to live in an internment camp, a girl name Shazam who comes from a broken home and other girls with very different backgrounds. With different narratives, the reader grows to learn each girl, her home life and where she comes from and understanding each other playing the game of softball in 1950 America, where women in sports was still considered a new thing.

            The author does an excellent job at presenting a story of young girls who are trying to make sense of the world post World War II in America. At an age where girls have a hard time understanding themselves as young adults, understanding each other and the world around them isn’t as easy as it seems. With so many voices telling their own story, sharing their background and learning about the players on the team, Bat 6 is a powerful account that helps a group of young adults relate to one another, build friendships and relationships, believe in the power of trust during a time of war and to help each other grow.  

(image via pinterest)