Heart of a Champion

Gr 4–6—An author's note offers context and sets the stage for this glimpse of the World War II experience of Japanese Canadians. Ten-year-old Kenny (Kenji) wants to be on the Asahis, a Japanese Canadian baseball team, like his talented big brother, Mickey. Unfortunately, Kenny's doctor advises his parents to limit him to nonstrenuous activities due to a suspected heart condition. Though he's not allowed to play baseball, he still dreams of making the team and asks Mickey to secretly coach him. Their family enjoy a comfortable life in Vancouver and close friendship with their neighbors, a Jewish family who fled Nazi Germany. With the outbreak of war, things change. Kenny's dad is forced to close his camera store and is sent away to a work camp. Eventually, the rest of the family is sent to an internment camp in the mountains. Kenny and his family live in a hastily constructed shack, which they must share with another family, and there's scant privacy. Each day is a struggle, but Kenny and his fellow internees work together to solve problems. Daily tasks like lugging water from creek to cabin build Kenny's muscles and character; eventually, thoughtful Kenny finds a way to play baseball again. Using straightforward prose, Schwartz develops Kenny into a well-rounded character. His personal growth is believable, and readers will be engaged and empathize with his problems.