Book details
Stealing Home: Summer of 1958
Description
"STEALING HOME" tells the story of 13-year-old William Martin, a child born in a white middle class family in Kansas City in 1958 when segregation was prevalent. After William's tolerant father discovers that peer pressure has given William a prejudice worldview, maliciously believing everything he has ever heard about black people, Mr. Martin brings home a black orphan, Alex, hoping that getting to know Alex will remedy it. The two teenagers strike up an unlikely friendship. William's life takes an unexpected turn when he and his mischievous friend, Robert, scheme to sneak Alex into a public segregated pool where Alex ends up saving a girl from drowning. William and Alex's friendship is challenged when William's prized possession, his baseball signed for him by the New York Yankees, turns up missing when Alex leaves his home. Alex is suspected of the theft and William finds his prejudiced feelings once again reinforced. He becomes a detective to find out the truth. Nowhere in the story is the "N" word use. The climax consists of a G-rated fight with Alex saving his white friends through his Judo training.
Age
12-18
Text complexity
intermediate
Length
138 pages
Why to read
- Gain insight into a pivotal era of American history, as the summer of 1958 may have been a significant time for social and cultural changes that could be reflected in the narrative.
- Experience the nostalgia and excitement of baseball during a time when it was known as America's favorite pastime, potentially offering a deep dive into the sport's golden age.
- Understand the personal and collective challenges faced by characters during the 1950s, which could include issues of race, class, and the struggle for personal identity in a rapidly changing world.
- Appreciate the literary craftsmanship of Rule Roger Collins, who may have provided a compelling narrative that weaves together sports, history, and human emotion in a story that transcends the baseball diamond.