We Are the Ship, Kadir Nelson
We Are the Ship, Kadir Nelson
2 Rating(s)
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We Are the Ship
The Story of Negro League Baseball

Author: Kadir Nelson

Narrator: Dion Graham

Unabridged: 1 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download (DRM Protected)

Published: 01/30/2009

Synopsis

The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.Using an "Everyman" player as his narrator, Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. The voice is so authentic, you will feel as if you are sitting on dusty bleachers listening intently to the memories of a man who has known the great ballplayers of that time and shared their experiences.We Are the Ship is a tour de force for baseball lovers of all ages.Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Award 2009—author award and illustrator honor; Winner of the Sibert Medal Home Page Award 2009

About Kadir Nelson

Kadir Nelson began his professional career as an artist, publishing his work and receiving commissions from publishers and production studios such as Dreamworks, where he served as the lead conceptual artist for Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad” and “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” Sports Illustrated, Coca-Cola, The United States Postal Service and Major League Baseball, among others. Presently, almost twenty illustrated books are in print, including Debbie Allen's DANCING IN THE WINGS, Ntozake Shange’s Coretta Scott King Award-winning book, and Carol Boston Weatherford’s MOSES: When Harriet Tubman Led her People to Freedom,” for which Nelson won a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, a Caldecott Honor and an NAACP Image Award. Most recently, Nelson released his authorial debut, “WE ARE THE SHIP: The Story of Negro League Baseball” (Jump at the Sun/Disney), a New York Times best-seller.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Betsy on July 09, 2008

Rube Foster was the founder of the Negro National League. Said he of his men, "We are the ship: all else the sea." As long as there has been baseball in America there have been African-American ballplayers. Men like Sol White and Bud Fowler. Before Rube Foster, however, there was no organized profes......more

Goodreads review by Greg on July 05, 2009

I agree with Karen's reviews from this morning. Reading these non-fiction children's books has been eye-opening. This is a great book. Objectively it's probably a five star book, it only gets four stars from me because my interest in baseball isn't that great, that's not the books fault though. At f......more

Goodreads review by Abby on April 07, 2008

This beautifully illustrated book chronicles the rise and fall of Negro League Baseball. Full-page paintings give you a real look at some of the most talented baseball players of their time (and possibly of any time). The writing is also awesome. Using a collective "we", Kadir Nelson speaks with the......more

Goodreads review by Abigail on January 25, 2020

An outstanding book, with an informative and immensely readable narrative, and gorgeous illustrations, Kadir Nelson's We Are the Ship is a work that draws the reader in, even if she (like myself) has little interest in baseball. The story of African-Americans in the sport - the title comes from a qu......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on May 19, 2023

Excellent, long picture book with beautiful paintings. I read this in preparation for a Kansas City trip where we plan to visit the Negro Leagues Museum. I'm planning to have my 12 and 14 year olds read it.......more

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