From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10-Basketball, racism, and international terrorism are all ingredients in Klass's latest offering. Jimmy Doyle, high school junior and standout guard from Minnesota, is one of 10 players selected to represent the USA in an international tournament to be held in Rome. Upon arriving in Los Angeles for team practices, he's thrown together with ethnic and culturally diverse teammates who quickly open his eyes to a much wider world. He immediately clashes with team star and South-Central L.A. native Augustus LeMay, who feels Jimmy is on the team only because he is white. As the tournament in Rome unfolds, the American team is subjected to verbal abuse by a group of skinhead fans from Germany, which escalates into a physical confrontation, and later results in a death threat against the U.S. squad. The Americans still manage to make it to the championship game, which culminates in a last-second game-winning basket and also a gunshot. Told through Doyle's eyes, the narrative features memorable characters and thought-provoking situations. While the terrorist threat may seem a bit extreme, the racial tension throughout the book rings true, and readers seeking lots of hoop action will be thoroughly satisfied.?Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Gr. 7^-12. In Granham, a small town in Minnesota, Jimmy Doyle is a basketball legend, the one the fans count on to sink the three-pointers and save the game. So when promoters pick an American High School Dream Team for a tournament in Italy, Doyle is offered a starting spot. The problem then becomes persuading himself and the talented African American inner-city kids who make up most of the team that he deserves the opportunity. The pace never lags, and Klass does a convincing job of capturing the feel of the game and depicting Doyle's attempts to be accepted by his teammates, as well as showing what happens when some terrorists add fear to the list of the team's opponents. Candace Smith --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Specs:
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (March 1, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0590485911
ISBN-13: 978-0590485913
No comments:
Post a Comment