Common Sense Note
A hard-boiled depiction of life in the ghetto and the world of basketball, as the main character hovers between crime and a scholarship. Poor grammar adds to the realism.
Compelling writing illuminates the life of a street-smart kid and a failed athlete. Suspense and great basketball action keep kids hooked.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Monica Wyatt
Fast, detailed basketball action combined with a realistic depiction of life on the streets of Harlem keeps kids who love sports enthralled. Seventeen-year old Lonnie wants to stay out of the violent organized crime in his neighborhood, but has no qualms about stealing a carton of scotch when the opportunity arises. He's still in school, but his life revolves around basketball, in which he has real talent. His only chance to escape poverty comes with a basketball tournament for street kids. Scouts from colleges will attend, and Lonnie confidently expects to emerge as a leading player and get a scholarship.
The basketball action stands out as the main attraction for young readers interested in sports, but Walter Dean Myers offers much more. He realistically reproduces the slang used by the characters, and gives readers a strong sense of life in the ghetto. Lonnie has little adult supervision but he has values, especially regarding basketball. He's appalled that Cal lost everything by accepting a few dollars for participating in a gambling scheme. The re-emergence of the gamblers in Lonnie's tournament adds considerable suspense to the story.
Myers describes basketball games with so much detail that young readers who love the game often love this book. It's a sports book that goes beyond sports, that has the capacity to get reluctant readers interested in the characters and the story. Its sequel, The Outside Shot, follows Lonnie to college, where he has his own struggle with gamblers trying to steal his game.
From The Book
The first time I played against Cal he beat me, but only because he was hustling and I was cooling out. This time we both went at it. That was when I found out the sucker could play. I mean, he could definitely hoop.
Plot Summary:
Lonnie lives in Harlem with little hope for the future. He has one asset, his basketball game. His only chance for a scholarship depends on Cal, a failed pro who has hit bottom. Cal improves Lonnie's game, but disappears just when Lonnie needs him most. Fast basketball action and sensitive characterization combined with a suspenseful story attracts sports-minded readers.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentThe main character and his girlfriend have sex, but it is not described. |
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ViolenceA girl is beaten up, a man is murdered, and the main character gets into fights. |
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LanguageOccasional mild to moderate swearing. |
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Social BehaviorA few uses of an epithet for blacks, usually by African-American characters. The main character steals, drinks, smokes, fights, and defies authority. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoThe main character drinks and smokes. |
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