Please, feel sorry for me. My third Rebecca Caudill Nominee features a baseball on the cover, sports more missing limbs and is written in free verse. Really, I wonder how I can continue.
I would recommend this book to boys who enjoy historical fiction, boys who play baseball, boys who are bullied and boys who are interested in the Vietnam War. And probably ages nine through thirteen.
The setting is the 70’s which doesn’t technically count as historical fiction YET unless you work for American Girl. Those who know the song, Stayin’ Alive by the BeeGees will find themselves singing it.
Our main character is twelve-year-old Matthew Pin who was born in Vietnam, but is now living in the United States with his adoptive family. Two years ago, his mother gave him over to U.S. soldiers so that he would survive away from war-torn Vietnam. Matt’s father was also a U.S. soldier who left his Vietnamese mother, promised to return for her, but never did.
Matt has nightmares about his past, his mother and his younger brother who he had to leave behind. But Matt is unwilling to talk about his past. He is afraid that no one could love him if he reveals the secrets that haunt him.
Matt has a new mother who loves him, a new father who gives him a love for baseball and a new little brother who also follows him around like the one before. Matt has a piano teacher who was a U.S. medic in Vietnam. Still Matt is unable to share his thoughts, concerns and troubles.
Matt’s good pitching arm lands him on the school baseball team, but several of the boys do not like him and call him frog-face. They see Matt as wholly Vietnamese and different. Many of these boys had brothers and father, uncles and friends that went to Vietnam and either died or changed. Coach will not tolerate their attitudes, but Coach is not always around to protect Matt.
Matt’s new parents and Jeff decide that something must be done. The programs provided by the adoption agency have not helped Matt and he is getting too old for them anyway. Jeff suggests that Matt and his father attend a group called Veterans Voices. It is a place where Vietnam Vets can talk about the things that they cannot share with their loved ones. They can only share with those who have been through it as well.
Please, do not feel sorry for me. I was very moved by this novel in verse. And I am haunted from nightmare that Matthew came from. I’m joyful in the growth of the characters through this book. We are more alike than different. And sometimes showing love involves giving your loved one into another’s care.
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