Slam

Slam

The book Slam, a Coretta Scott King Award winner5, was a very interesting book. Derrick Shore, Slam6, was the main character in this book. Being one of the best hoopsters1, Slam was very cocky in basketball. Losing his dad when he was little1, he tried really hard to help out his family. Slam was very aggressive, trying his hardest to do well on the court2. In school he wasn't the greatest, confused by all of the different things he had to remember4. Stunned that he failed some classes3, he realized he might not be eligible to play basketball. He studied hard to be eligible, worried that he might not be able to play the sport he loved4. Hoping to pass the test7, he studied really hard. His mom, Carolyn6, was very excited that her boy passed the test. Slam, a wistful young man5, had finally done well in something other than basketball, but that was the least of his challenges. Knowing he would have a hard time making college7, he studied hard his last couple years of high school. Slam made it threw high school, maturing enough to realize that college was important2. Slam ends up getting a good job and helping his family out, he always remembers the rough times he had when he was in high school, and uses that to push him every day.

One part I liked in the book was on the very first page. The opening sentence where Slam talks about how good he was at playing basketball pushed me to read more of the book. The sentence, a straight up sentence that got to the point5, told about the way Slam feels and sees things on the court. Hoping to impress the readers7, the author presents a cocky boy that has some interesting words. Surprised by the first couple of sentences3, I really thought the book was going to be good by just reading the first couple of sentences. I think that fact that the author, Walter Dean Meyers6, was writing about basketball, the sport he loves5, helped this book become more realistic. Throughout the book there are colorful statements like this one, intriguing me, the reader6, even more2.

Another part of the book I liked was on page 166. This part was about after a close loss where their team had made a little comeback. The team was low, scared that they might not make it any further in the tournament4.