Cleveland is a young boy who dreams of playing baseball like his idol Willie Mays. When he makes the Cannon Street All-Stars it seems as if all his dreams are coming true, until he realizes his team can not play in the Little League World Series because they are black. Despite this downfall, Cleveland sees how far black baseball players have come while watching Jackie Robinson win his first World Series and understands that he is capable of doing great things too, regardless of his race. I thought this book had a powerful message about not being deterred from your dreams because of discrimination. At some points, it felt like the plot wasn't flowing the way I would have liked it to, which is the only reason it did not get 5 stars. Overall, I think the general theme makes up for this and I would recommend this book. ( )

Champions without a trophy is another way I saw this story. Isolation and rejection is difficult for children to understand and can be socially damaging for anyone in any culture. I like the story of the Cannon Street YMCA Little League, it's a story of persistence and love of a game in spite of the prevailing racial tensions. Great story; however, the rotoscope like illustrations and the subdued color choices made it very difficulty to enjoy the book in it's entirety. The ending can to an abrupt ending making the story seem incomplete. ( )

"Champions on the Bench" tells the heroic tale of the Cannon Street YMCA All-Stars baseball team. The team was composed of all black players. They were extremely talented and won the state champion. The All-Stars were supposed to play in the Little League World Series, but all of the other teams refused to play them. The white teams did not want to play against an all black team. This novel honors that baseball team and their legacy during a very tough time in America. I liked this book because it sets the record straight and teaches a valuable lesson. The color of your skin does not dictate how well you play baseball. All that matters is your talent and love for the game. ( )

I liked this book because it sets you back in the time of segregation. Although the white teams would not allow the black team to play against them, they still felt like champions. As the black team sat and watched the other teams play against each other, the crowd started cheering for the black team to play. They still didn't get to play yet as they arrived back home people still said how proud they were of them. They were champions on the bench. This is a good message for kids. It shows that even if you are left out or different, you can still be great. The art was also very unique. It looked like it was painted. ( )

Based off a true story, Champion on the Bench tells the unfair actions taken against an African American Little League Baseball team. Because it takes place in the 1950s and highlights segregation and racial inequality, it is a historical fiction. The young boys were completely aware of the reasons why they couldn't play in the tournaments and looked up to famous black players like Jackie Robinson since they prevailed against unfairness. Cleveland had inspired to be like him but lost hope that he'll ever get to play real ball. After watching Jackie play he got some of that hope back. ( )