King of the Mound is a realistic fiction novel based during the era of Satchel Paige, a well-known African American baseball player. The story of the Dust Bowl, Native Americans, and Polio is told through the relationship between a boy who is an avid baseball fan and Satchel. The book is an AR level 5.6. It is an excellent cross-curricular resource. It may be used in 4th grade as well.
ELA Common Core Standards
RL.5.1., 5.2., 5.3, 5.4, 5.5., 5.6, 5.10,
Writing Common Core Standards
W.5.2, W.