We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson

we are the ship

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson. Jump at the Sun, 2008. 96 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-12

A large, coffee table-sized book full of Kadir Nelson’s lush paintings and fascinating baseball history make this a must-read for baseball lovers everywhere. Skillful artwork depicts portraits of famous people in the Negro League’s history from the perspective of a child; the reader “looks up” at each of the characters. Nelson’s use of “we” throughout the book makes for an engaging read of the history of the Negro Leagues. Told honestly and without rancor, this book tells a much-needed story of the all-American sport during its infancy in this country. Play ball!

Cautions: none

Overall Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

  • Worldview Rating: 4
  • Artistic Rating: 5

Categories: Sports, Middle Grades, Gift Books

Stay Up to Date!

Get the information you need to make wise choices about books for your children and teens.

Our weekly newsletter includes our latest reviews, related links from around the web, a featured book list, book trivia, and more. We never sell your information. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Support our writers and help keep Redeemed Reader ad-free by joining the Redeemed Reader Fellowship.

Stay Up to Date!

Get the information you need to make wise choices about books for your children and teens.

Our weekly newsletter includes our latest reviews, related links from around the web, a featured book list, book trivia, and more. We never sell your information. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Betsy Farquhar

Betsy is the Managing Editor at Redeemed Reader. When she reads ahead for you, she uses sticky notes instead of book darts and willfully dog ears pages even in library books. Betsy is a fan of George MacDonald, robust book discussions, and the Oxford comma. She lives with her husband and their three children in the beautiful Southeast.

We'd love to hear from you!

Our comments are now limited to our members (both Silver and Golden Key). Members, you just need to log in with your normal log-in credentials!

Not a member yet? You can join the Silver Key ($2.99/month) for a free 2-week trial. Cancel at any time. Find out more about membership here.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.