Rick Kotani's 400 Million Dollar Summer

(Hardback)

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Oregon Book Awardwinning author Waka T. Brown hits a home run in this middle grade novel about a baseball-obsessed twelve-year-old who moves to Oregon to help his grandfatheran elusive old man with a shrouded pastbut ends up learning unexpected truths about his family and how they mysteriously parallel the Japanese folktale of Urashima Taro.

Rick Kotani is looking forward to spending the entire summer playing baseball. Sure, his team never wins, but he's been practicing a special pitch he knows is going to land him a 400-million-dollar major-league contract . . . someday. That all changes when his mother throws a curveball of her own: Instead of playing ball in California, Rick will be heading to Oregon to help keep an eye on Grandpa Hiroshi while they move him to a retirement home. Trading no-hitters to be a babysitter Rick is beyond bummed.

But once there, Rick discovers Grandpa is actually pretty cool, and the two bond over a Japanese folktale about a fisherman, Urashima Taro, who trades his life on earth for the riches of an underwater kingdom. And like the fisherman, Rick soon forgets about his team back home when he joins a supercompetitive local league that only cares about being the bestat any cost.

As the team racks up the wins and Grandpa makes his final move, Rick must decide which ending he wants for his story: Will he fall in line with his ruthless teammates and their victory-obsessed coach in his own "underwater kingdom," or will family, true friendship, and integrity lead him back to shore

Reviews

"Brown beautifully weaves together multiple storylines. A thought-provoking, multilayered read that will leave a lasting impression." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Brown uses the mystical foundation of a dreamlike folktale as the backdrop upon which unpleasant realities surrounding Rick's grandfather's cognitive decline and generational trauma unfurl." -- Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

Waka T. Brown was the first American born in her family. She is a Stanford graduate with a Master's in Secondary Education. With her background, she's worked to further U.S.-Japan relations, promoting cultural exchange and awareness. She's currently an instructor at the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), authoring curriculum on several international topics, and winning the Association for Asian Studies' national Franklin Buchanan Prize. She's also been awarded the U.S.-Japan Foundation and EngageAsia's national 2019 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher award for her groundbreaking endeavors in teaching about U.S.-Japan relations to high school students in Japan. While I Was Away is her memoir, and also her debut. She lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.