Children's Literature Annotation:
When he joins a predominantly black "Teen Dream Team" that will be representing the United States in an international basketball tournament in Rome, Jimmy Doyle makes some unexpected discoveries about prejudice, racism, and politics.
- Awards and Honors:
- Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2000 Winner High School Maryland
- Children's Literature Council of Southern California Awards, 1997 Winner Outstanding Fiction for Young Adults United States
- Golden Sower Award, 1998 Winner Young Adult Nebraska
- Sequoyah Book Award, 1999 Winner Young Adult Oklahoma
- Review:
- Alexandria LaFaye, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
International Youth Basketball, death threats, racism, poverty, and romance are the interwoven issues in this fast-paced sports novel. Jimmy Doyle, known as the Snowman by his teammates, is honored to be selected to represent the U.S., but he gets more than he bargains for when he accepts. As the only white and inexperienced member of the team, Jimmy must prove himself worthy. Klass has a way of giving blow-by-blow descriptions of the basketball games that thoroughly involves the reader. He broaches many important topics with candor--Neo-Nazism, race relations in Los Angeles and in Europe, and the ethics of the media and politicians. He also provides a personal flavor to the novel by revealing the Doyle family's struggle to deal with the death of Jimmy's father and the bankruptcy of their family business. An intriguing novel that has a lot to say to today's young adults. 1996, Scholastic, $16.95. Ages 12 up.
- Collection Suggestion:
- This looks like a great novel that tackles issues that are not only important to teens but also entertaining. Most sources say that it would be good for middle and high schools. I would most likely recommend it to students from 7th to 10th grade, and perhaps older if they are particularly interested in basketball.
No comments:
Post a Comment