Summerland Book Review

Summmerland by Michael Chabon is a book about the magical qualities of summer and the game that brings it out in full force. A timeless tale of summer, American folklore, and baseball, this book nicely brings together these elements in a story about change and the true meaning of summertime.

Coyote, who also goes by the names of Prometheus, Satan, Snake, Raven, and the Changer, just to name a few, wants to bring down the World Tree, which the four worlds stem from. He starts by cutting apart areas where the worlds join and a little magic spills over. One boy, named Ethan Feld, lives near such an area. It's a baseball field that has managed to stay completely dry every summer. Here little Indians, known as “ferishers,” live in a nearby world, called Summerland, and they know that Coyote is trying to poison the World Tree.

Ethan's dad has invented a remarkable material that can hold the strongest acid without breaking down. Intended for flying dirigibles, Coyote realizes it's what he needs to poison the Tree. Mr. Feld gets kidnapped and Ethan teams up with a motley crew of kids connected to the baseball field and heads out to Summerland. On the way they meet up with the world's smallest giant, a wererat, and Annie Christmas with her group of Big Liars and plays baseball with them. By this time Summerland is no longer the place of Indian princesses and cowboys it used to be, and people are having mixed feelings about the world ending.

The baseball team traveling through Summerland is not perfect, as some might expect, and has no “chosen one” type hero. They make mistakes and suffer the consequences, making them more realistic.

This is a good summer read for anyone who likes baseball, or just likes summer! The book is a bit lengthy, but has a straightforward plot that has intricate characters who fit together in a sweet summer tale.

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Pick up Summerland by Michael Chabon at the Library!