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Author: Alan Gratz

ISBN: 0-8037-3076-6

Publisher: Dial Books

            It’s 1890 and you’re in Tokyo, Japan. Between classes in the most prestigious high school in town and baseball practice, you learn the old ways—the ways of the samurai. That’s Toyo Shimada’s life and we get the pleasure of going along for the ride thanks to Alan Gratz’s brilliant story telling.

            Toyo suffers from familiar teen angst: a parent who doesn’t understand him and friends who try to understand him, but often fail. It’s the core of most teen stories, but Toyo’s world is changing. Old Japan is dying and a new Japan is rising.

            His father represents the old Japan. When the emperor reforms their ancient military system and requires all samurai to hang up their swords, Toyo’s family is caught in the middle. The opening scene, where Toyo and his father assist Toyo’s uncle in seppuku, ritual suicide, is so intense that you’ll wonder if Toyo’s just having a bad dream.   

            Even though Toyo’s father isn’t samurai in the traditional sense, he too decides he can’t live in the new Japan. He expects Toyo to assist him in seppuku, when the time comes. First, he must teach Toyo the ways of bushido, the warrior’s code.

            Between lessons and baseball practice, Toyo learns to meditate and use a sword—and worries about his father. When the time comes, will he have the courage to do what has to be done? Baseball is his passion, and as applies bushido to baseball, he comes to terms with the changing world around him and begins his journey into manhood.

            Samurai Shortstop is the story of Toyo’s search for his own path in a time of social change and family turmoil. Toyo’s personal struggle is one all teens can appreciate. He struggles with peer pressure, studies, and parental control and expectations. Nineteenth century Japan comes alive and provides the color and unexpected tension that every good story needs.  

The above review was contributed by: Susan Sales Harkins: Susan is a  software consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. She and her husband, William, collaborate on children's non-fiction. Click Here to read more of Susan’s Reviews