As some of you know, baseball is a passion of mine–from watching my son play to my beloved (and ever frustrating!) Milwaukee Brewers–the strategy, the skills, and the stories of baseball remain close to my heart.

Yesterday my husband, son, and I went to go watch “42”, a movie we have anxiously been awaiting.  We know the story of Jackie Robinson pretty well and have been eager to see how the story is depicted.  For the most part, we weren’t disappointed.  There were points we squirmed in our seats with discomfort over the language used, the blatant racism, and the ache in hearts for the injustices done to Jackie and so many other Americans through history.

That’s all–we haven’t lived through death threats . . .  through having pitches thrown at our heads . . . through being deliberately” cleated” by opposing teams.  We haven’t had our family threatened.  We haven’t been called hurtful names.  We experienced discomfort at watching it unfold on the screen.

I have been trying to decide what my next read aloud would be with my fourth graders.  I only have time for maybe 2 or 3 more books this year before I send them off to a new teacher in a new building with new challenges.  Have I done everything I can to prepare them?  So after watching “42” yesterday, I have decided that I am going to read