Snibbles

Summerland

I've been reading "Summerland" by Michael Chabon. It's a good book, in one of my favorite genres, "juvenile fantasy".

Summerland is a magical place, where the local Little League gathers to play baseball on a perfectly manicured lawn, and the sun is always shining in a flawless blue sky. However, the small beings known as ferishers, who ensure this perfect weather, are threatened by an ancient enemy and need a hero — a baseball star, in fact — to vanquish their foe.

I really like the book and the characters. I even ordered a copy for my mother (who also enjoys this kind of fiction). However, I have one small problem with the plot (and the fact that I have this problem disturbs me a bit.)

I have no trouble with the "11-year-olds help save the world" idea, nor with the World tree, Coyote, a Thunderbird, Summerland (we'd call it Fairie) or most of the rest. I just have a problem with the idea that everyone plays baseball. The kids, the Fair folk, the giants... Everyone is really into baseball.

I don't have a problem with the general fantasy elements but I have some trouble dealing with Baseball as Universal fundamental. Now that's weird.