Few writers can match myers for taut, savvy basketball action. Slam is a corretta scott king author award winner and was voted the alas best book for young adults. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. An exciting, eyecatching repackage of acclaimed author walter dean myers b. Greg is a highschool student and a star basketball player at his highschool. So when he is faced with several problems, he focuses and the maturity is seen in him as a young adultnot a. Jul 22, 2016 what are examples of similes and metaphores in the book slam. What are the plot events in slam written by walter dean. He struggles with getting a lot of playing time at his new school because the coach thinks he is very cocky and a showoff. Although basketball is a team game, slam is a bit of a lone wolf, playing for himself more than for others. Walter dean myers walter dean myers poems poem hunter. School library journal myers reinforces his standing as a preeminent young adult. Slam s mom introduces a tutor to him but he doesnt want a tutor. One problem is that ice, gregs best friend, is a great basketball player but he is into drug dealing and he started hanging out.
The main characters are greg, moma, ice, mtisha, ducky, and derek. He just told everybody to report to the gym for practice the next day. Harlem 1997 with a poetic jazz backbeat, walter dean myers, with the help of his son christopher, tells the story of harlem a rich and vibrant neighborhood that has been a historic center of africanamerican culture in new york city. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter. The main character, greg slam harris, has to deal with daily gang violence, drugs, and murders. In this book that shows the triumph of the human spirit against impossible odds, there are plenty of examples of similes and metaphors in the way that slam talks about his life and the challenges he faces, but also the deep and abiding love of basketball that.
Slam lives in harlem and attends the prestigious magnet school latimer in the south bronx. He was the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author of an awardwinning body of work which includes somewhere in the darkness, slam. May 08, 2011 slam the basketball book by walter dean myers duration. Myers has received two newbery honor medals, five coretta scott king author awards, and three. Untitled pps multimedia library portland public schools. Slam by walter dean myers timeline timetoast timelines. Slam and bud not buddy slam by walter dean myers genre. Seventeenyearold greg slam harris can do it all on the basketball court. Slams going oneonone with his future, and its a showdown he cant afford to lose. However, the story and the main character were different than i thought and it caught my attention from the very first chapter. August 12, 1937 july 1, 2014 was a writer of childrens books best known for young adult literature. The scene is in a tally down portion of town in a large metropolis that was unginven. By walter dean myers quotes a pros summary my critique you still dont get it do you. Slam and latimer win there first game against regis.
A harlem teenager learns how to apply the will he has to win at hoops to other parts of his life in this vivid, fluent story from myers toussaint louverture, p. Everybody was around me after the practice and telling me what a nice game i had. He is the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author an awardwinning body of work which includes, somewhere in the darkness, slam. Walter dean myers is the 2012 20 national ambassador for young peoples literature. Slam by walter dean myers research essay graduateway. Bad boy by walter dean myers digital book trailer duration. It all ties in smoothly with gregs basketball life and his dream of making it into the nba. Greg is great at basketball but doesnt think about offcourt things much. Greg slam harris is justly proud of his game, but he realizes that nba daydreams dont cut it in the classrooms of his new south bronx magnet school and that the tough talk that serves him so well on the street only. Walter dean myers brings you into the world of harlem and the struggles of life with his coretta scott king awardwinning book, slam. Walter dean myers is the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author of more than eighty books for children and young adults, including sunrise over fallujah, fallen angels, monster, somewhere in the darkness, slam. Many teenagers will be able to relate to dealing with friends, school, sports, and family at the same time. The groundbreaking and widely praised novel about a school shooting, from the. Myers has received two newbery honors, five coretta scott king awards, and the inaugural.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. August 12, 1937 july 1, 2014 was an american writer of. An exciting, eyecatching repackage of acclaimed author walter dean myers bestselling paperbacks, to coincide with the publication of sunrise over falluja in hardcover. Whenever i think of hospitals all i think about is people dying and stuff like thatmyers 32. Slam by walter dean myers is about a seventeen year old boy named greg slam harris who is a great basketball player, but his grades arent so good.
Slam now has to take responsibility over his grades. Slams mom introduces a tutor to him but he doesnt want a tutor. Walter dean myers poems, quotations and biography on walter dean myers poet page. In the book, slam, by walter dean myers, one of the main themes is if you work hard at what you love in life, you can be successful at anything you put your mind to. Meet the author recording with walter dean myers about slam. The story revolves around the efforts of seventeen yearold greg slam harris to play basketball, while. Myers examines several significant themes throughout his novel slam, including friendship, teamwork, education, sports, and making the right choices in life. The book slam by walter dean myers is about a high school boy named greg who has trouble succeeding both in school and out. Fiction summary the novel slam by walter dean myers is a story about an african american teenage athlete by the name of greg. Throughout the book, many conflicts arise that the main character slam has to deal with and overcome. A seventeenyearold basketball star must learn to work with others both on and off the court. Greg is the narrator and he is name slam on the basketball court.
The only difference between on the court and off it is that everybody is in the game off the court. Greg loves to play basketball and is called slam because of his ability to slam dunk. Slam the basketball book by walter dean myers duration. What is the theme of the book slam by walter dean myers. Comprehension by chapter, vocabulary challenges, creative reading response activities and projects, tests, and much more.
It takes place in innercity harlem in new york, and its all about the life of greg slam harris on and off the court. Fallen angels is a novel by walter dean myers that was first published in 1988. Whenever i think of hospitals all i think about is people dying and stuff like that myers 32. Theme a major theme of the book slam is coming of age. Hes quick enough to handle the point guard slot and, as his tag implies, he can slam dunk at will. Walter dean myers, author winning children book author. Greg lives in the ghettos of new york with his younger brother and mother. Read all poems of walter dean myers and infos about walter dean myers. Hes seen ballplayers come and go, and he knows he could be one of the lucky ones. For example, he has to stay strong alot of the time because of all of the influences with drugs around every day. Scholastic, 1998 coretta scott king author award grade level. Slam by walter dean myers was, in my opinion, a brilliantly written book with great wording, connections to real life and myers really gets the true feeling of the hood into the book. You feel as if you were on the court with slam during games and that you can feel the pain that. What are examples of similes and metaphores in the book slam.
Myers has received two newbery honor medals, five coretta scott king author book awards, and three national book award finalist citations. One of the main themes of the story is the importance of teamwork. In the book, slam, by walter dean myers, greg faces a large amout of ordeals in his life because of the area that he lives in. Hes seen ballplayers come and go, and he knows he could be one of the lucky. Walter dean myers august 12, 1937 to july 1, 2014 is the winner of the first 2010 coretta scott king virginia hamilton award for lifetime achievement. Chapters 15, chapters 610, chapters 1115, chapters. The style of writing that walter dean myers uses is probably. A plethora of possible student activities for slam. This past semester i read the book slam by walter dean myers. The novel slam by walter dean myers is a story about an african american teenage athlete by the name of greg. He is a superstar high school basketball player who fights the challenge of keeping his grades up as well as cooping with the issue that his best friend ice is a drug dealer. Point signature scholastic book by walter dean myers. Chapters 15, chapters 610, chapters 1115, chapters 1621 here are links to our lists for other works by.
Gregory slam harris is a talented basketball player with. The novel slam by walter dean meyers, takes place in a poor african american neighborhood in harlem, new york. What is the summary on slam by walter dean myers answers. Acclaimed author walter dean myers presents a compelling novel that looks at americas occupation of iraq through the eyes of those who live it first hand. The late walter dean myers was the 201220 national ambassador for young peoples literature.
Slam is a likable character with a lot of difficult, yet believable things going on in his life. Questions of guilt and innocence drive the plot and stay with the reader, said hazel rochman. Nov 06, 2009 fans of walter dean myers will like this book as well. The story revolves around the efforts of seventeen yearold greg slam harris to play basketball, while maintaining his academics and his personal life. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. Author walter dean myers is the 2019 childrens literature legacy award winner. By walter dean myers is about a 17 year boy, his athletic ability is outstanding but his grades isnt so hot. The narrative line is that slam the chief character is traveling to a new school that is a white school where he one. This study guide consists of approximately 25 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of slam basketball is greg slam harriss life. The story is about the life, challenges, and growth of greg harris.
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