The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball by Dori Jones Yang is an outstanding book! While this story is based upon the true, but little-known events surrounding a group of young Chinese boys who came to study in New England during the 1870s, the underlying themes are very relevant to today.The theme of, wanting to fit in with everyone else but also wanting to hold onto your own heritage is addressed extremely well in this engaging story.

Although the book is supposed to be for readers 10 to 14, adults will enjoy the book. I certainly did! Highly recommende

This was an excellent book.

Leon and Carson (both Americanized names) were sent to the northern part of the United States from their homeland, China, with the purpose of learning to speak English and to study American technological advancements in order to modernize China. That is a tall order but the boys, along with their 118 other Chinese counterparts have been commissioned by the Emperor and will try their best to honor their country and families.

For Leon, America is a land of curiosity with trains, English and baseball. And he takes to it easily. For Carson, his older brother, the struggle between cultures and his desires hinders his ability to assimilate to the American culture and English language. The struggle begins with Leon's attempts to honor his older brother, the father of his American home and his heart. Is he becoming too American...or is he fulfilling what the Chinese government sent him there for?

Leon (Americanized name) and his older brother have been sent from China to study in America. The goal is to learn English and to learn more about technical advances and then take that knowledge back to China with them. At first, Carson (Americanized name) the older brother seems to have all the advantages - age, he was a better student in China, and as eldest he deserves more respect. But whether it is from his injury on the train when robbers strike, disappointment over a failed love interest, or just an inability to learn English, Carson soon becomes bitter and angry which leaves Leon wondering if he should continue to obey his older brother or strive for his American education.

This was a strong historical fiction book and a good luck at the difficulties any immigrant might experience but particularly the Chinese experience in the 1800s.

I read this book at the beginning of the summer, and unfortunately, my review didn't save. I can tell you I LOVED this book. I knew nothing about 120 Chinese boys who were brought to America for several years in the 1870s to modernize their education so they could return home and use their knowledge helping China (though the book is fiction, it is based on an actual event I history).
.
The two brothers in this book have completely different responses to American culture, and I enjoyed seeing both the good, and the bad, of Western culture through their eyes. Though the elder brother's behaviour is often abusive, I think it's important to remember the time period and perspective from which the story was told.
.
A great historical read, I highly recommend this one.
.

The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball

by Dori Jones Yang

SparkPress (a BookSparks imprint)

SparkPress
Children's Fiction , Multicultural Interest

Pub Date 15 Aug 2017

I am reviewing a copy of The Forbidden Temptation of Football through Sparkpress and Netgalley:

Leon is a twelve year old boy determined to live with an American family, study hard and come back to modernize Child but Leon has a curious nature and the American past time of Baseball fascinated him.

Will Leon one of 120 boys sent to New England by the Emperor of China, be able to resist this temptation? Will he make his family and the Emperor proud? Or will he discover that some temptations are far to hard to resist?

I give The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball five out of five stars.

Happy Reading.