A Diamond in the Desert

Written by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

A boy's love for baseball clashes with family duty in a wartime internment camp.

3.8 Goodreads · 1,007 ratings

272 pages· 28,651 words· Est. 4 hour read· 810L

$16.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

Twelve-year-old Tetsu's world is upended after Pearl Harbor, as his family is sent to an internment camp. Amidst the desolation, a baseball team offers hope. But when his sister falls ill, Tetsu faces a heart-wrenching choice between his passion for the game and his family's needs. Can he find a way to honor both? This poignant tale explores resilience and sacrifice during a turbulent time in history.

From the publisher

For Tetsu, baseball is so much more than just a game On December 6, 1941, Tetsu is a twelve-year-old California boy who loves baseball. On December 7, 1941, everything changes. The bombing of Pearl Harbor means Tetsu’s Japanese-American family will be relocated to an internment camp. Gila River camp isn’t technically a prison, but with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no time frame for leaving, it might as well be. So when someone has the idea of building a baseball diamond and starting a team, Tetsu is overjoyed. But then his sister gets dangerously sick, forcing him to choose between his family and his love of the game. This is an impeccably researched, lyrical story about baseball, honor, and a turbulent period in U.S. history.

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