Strong to the Hoop - Softcover

John Coy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1584301783 ISBN 13: 9781584301783

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 1999

Synopsis

When James is finally allowed to play basketball on the main court with the older boys, he has to prove he can hold his own. It's Skins against Shirts, and James is guarding Marcus, the biggest Shirt of them all. Marcus is all muscle, but James has skill and determination on his side. In the end, there's much more than the game point riding on James's last shot. John Coy's energetic prose captures the intensity and emotion of the competition, while Leslie Jean-Bart's photo collages convey the gritty pace of the game.

About this title

About the Author

John Coy is the author of several award-winning books for children, including Strong to the Hoop, an ALA Notable Book and Night Driving, named one of the Best Books of 1996 by THE NEW YORK TIMES. Around the World was inspired by Coy's lifelong passion for basketball. Mr. Coy teaches writing to children and has developed an innovative class that combines basketball and poetry. He and his family live in St. Paul, Minnesota. To find out more about John Coy, visit his Web site: www.johncoy.com

Leslie Jean-Bart photographs and photo collages have appeared in NEW YORK MAGAZINE, NEWSWEEK, and THE NEW YORK TIMES. A native of Haiti, he received a masters degree in journalism from Columbia University. Mr. Jean-Bart now lives in New York City. Strong to the Hoop is his first book for children. To find out more about Leslie Jean-Bart, visit his Web site: www.lesliejean-bart.com

From Publishers Weekly

This eye-catching picture book blends photography and scratchboard drawings in a series of arresting mixed media collages. Coy's (Night Driving) tale describes a dream come true for James, a 10-year-old tagalong who finally gets to play a game of four-on-four with the older boys. Staccato bursts of dialogue and description ("I zoom down the court, ferocious like a lion") emulate the stop-start rhythm of the game as the Shirts and Skins face off. Up against Marcus, whose "muscles push out his shirt," James is off to a rocky start, but he proves he can hang tough, coming through to sink the winning game point shot. Despite a few awkward transitions in the text (e.g., James snaps out of a reverie about playing as an All-Star so abruptly that readers may initially miss why he's been pulled into the game), the kinetic mood is contagious. First-time picture book artist Jean-Bart's innovative use of collage highlights the central action of each illustration; for instance, a photograph in sepia tones with the barest touch of color (for the basketball or the boys' shorts) creates a spotlight on James and Marcus, while black-and-white scratchboard fills in the backdrop. The artist fuses realism with a darkly atmospheric mood to give the compositions an authentically gritty urban feel. Ages 6-up.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 1584301783
• ISBN 13: 9781584301783
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 32