Slam!
Walter Dean Myres
Matthew Rusk- 7th period
HOW DO YOUNG ATHLETES HANDLE THEMSELVES OFF OF THE PLAYING FIELD TO FULLY ENJOY THE GAME?
If you are wondering this or you are a young athlete looking for the answer then this is the book for you. Many kids all over the globe have read this book and enjoyed it very much. Not only do some get pleasure out of reading it but they may be motivated to take there game to a new level.
Slam is a fictional book written by Walter Dean Myers that was written to influence teenagers. In this book a young African American excels in basketball, but yet has not learned how to keep up with grades or play as a team. In this book you will experience along with Greg also known as Slam how he matures and grows into a great basketball player.
Greg and his family grew up in the hood where there was many shootings, lots of drug dealing, and other criminal activity. Living in the hood plays a big part in this book. It influences Greg to make certain decisions that may not be good for him.
Another problem Greg will encounter is being a good teammate. For a number of games the coach decides to sit Greg until he shows he is a good teammate and wants what best for the team and not himself.
Greg will also be distracted by beautiful women in the book. When his mind should be on school or basketball it is on girls.
MEANINGFUL QUOTE FROM SLAM!
“Cutting people out of your life is easy, keeping them in is hard.”
REVIEWS AND AWARDS
This book won many literary prizes. Some of them being...
ALA Notable Children's books
Booklist
Horn Book
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