Throughout the book, many conflicts arise that the main character slam has to deal with and overcome. 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. 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. Chapters 15, chapters 610, chapters 1115, chapters. Walter dean myers poems, quotations and biography on walter dean myers poet page. 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. Nov 06, 2009 fans of walter dean myers will like this book as well. Author walter dean myers is the 2019 childrens literature legacy award winner. Greg loves to play basketball and is called slam because of his ability to slam dunk. 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. Greg is great at basketball but doesnt think about offcourt things much. 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. Everybody was around me after the practice and telling me what a nice game i had.
However, the story and the main character were different than i thought and it caught my attention from the very first chapter. Meet the author recording with walter dean myers about slam. Questions of guilt and innocence drive the plot and stay with the reader, said hazel rochman. Walter dean myers is the 2012 20 national ambassador for young peoples literature. 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. The scene is in a tally down portion of town in a large metropolis that was unginven. Greg is a highschool student and a star basketball player at his highschool. Hes seen ballplayers come and go, and he knows he could be one of the lucky ones. An exciting, eyecatching repackage of acclaimed author walter dean myers bestselling paperbacks, to coincide with the publication of sunrise over falluja in hardcover. Read all poems of walter dean myers and infos about walter dean myers. Whenever i think of hospitals all i think about is people dying and stuff like that myers 32.
Slam is a corretta scott king author award winner and was voted the alas best book for young adults. Comprehension by chapter, vocabulary challenges, creative reading response activities and projects, tests, and much more. See all 2 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The groundbreaking and widely praised novel about a school shooting, from the. Slam the basketball book by walter dean myers duration. The main characters are greg, moma, ice, mtisha, ducky, and derek. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. 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. Walter dean myers walter dean myers poems poem hunter. One problem is that ice, gregs best friend, is a great basketball player but he is into drug dealing and he started hanging out. Slam and bud not buddy slam by walter dean myers genre. 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. Slams going oneonone with his future, and its a showdown he cant afford to lose. Slam lives in harlem and attends the prestigious magnet school latimer in the south bronx.
He struggles with getting a lot of playing time at his new school because the coach thinks he is very cocky and a showoff. Hes quick enough to handle the point guard slot and, as his tag implies, he can slam dunk at will. May 08, 2011 slam the basketball book by walter dean myers duration. Whenever i think of hospitals all i think about is people dying and stuff like thatmyers 32. What are examples of similes and metaphores in the book slam. The only difference between on the court and off it is that everybody is in the game off the court. What are the plot events in slam written by walter dean.
He just told everybody to report to the gym for practice the next day. Chapters 15, chapters 610, chapters 1115, chapters 1621 here are links to our lists for other works by. He is the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author an awardwinning body of work which includes, somewhere in the darkness, slam. Myers has received two newbery honor medals, five coretta scott king author awards, and three. What is the summary on slam by walter dean myers answers. Few writers can match myers for taut, savvy basketball action. Point signature scholastic book by walter dean myers.
He was the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author of an awardwinning body of work which includes somewhere in the darkness, slam. The story revolves around the efforts of seventeen yearold greg slam harris to play basketball, while maintaining his academics and his personal life. Scholastic, 1998 coretta scott king author award grade level. The main character, greg slam harris, has to deal with daily gang violence, drugs, and murders. School library journal myers reinforces his standing as a preeminent young adult. Slam now has to take responsibility over his grades. Jul 22, 2016 what are examples of similes and metaphores in the book slam.
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. Hes seen ballplayers come and go, and he knows he could be one of the lucky. Slam and latimer win there first game against regis. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter. Many teenagers will be able to relate to dealing with friends, school, sports, and family at the same time. Myers has received two newbery honor medals, five coretta scott king author book awards, and three national book award finalist citations. A plethora of possible student activities for slam. Untitled pps multimedia library portland public schools. Fallen angels is a novel by walter dean myers that was first published in 1988. The conflict in the story isnt as interesting as other books ive read but it is definitely different. The style of writing that walter dean myers uses is probably.
Fiction summary the novel slam by walter dean myers is a story about an african american teenage athlete by the name of greg. 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 novel slam by walter dean meyers, takes place in a poor african american neighborhood in harlem, new york. Theme a major theme of the book slam is coming of age. 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. It takes place in innercity harlem in new york, and its all about the life of greg slam harris on and off the court. Myers examines several significant themes throughout his novel slam, including friendship, teamwork, education, sports, and making the right choices in life. Slam by walter dean myers research essay graduateway. 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. Greg is the narrator and he is name slam on the basketball court.
Although basketball is a team game, slam is a bit of a lone wolf, playing for himself more than for others. The late walter dean myers was the 201220 national ambassador for young peoples literature. Walter dean myers does a good job of bringing up all the challenges that greg has to face. By walter dean myers quotes a pros summary my critique you still dont get it do you. The book slam by walter dean myers is about a high school boy named greg who has trouble succeeding both in school and out. Gregory slam harris is a talented basketball player with.
Slams mom introduces a tutor to him but he doesnt want a tutor. 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. Seventeenyearold greg slam harris can do it all on the basketball court. Walter dean myers, author winning children book author. It all ties in smoothly with gregs basketball life and his dream of making it into the nba. Slam is a likable character with a lot of difficult, yet believable things going on in his life. Slam by walter dean myers timeline timetoast timelines.
For example, he has to stay strong alot of the time because of all of the influences with drugs around every day. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. The story is about the life, challenges, and growth of greg harris. What is the theme of the book slam by walter dean myers. Greg lives in the ghettos of new york with his younger brother and mother. The novel slam by walter dean myers is a story about an african american teenage athlete by the name of greg. 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.
August 12, 1937 july 1, 2014 was a writer of childrens books best known for young adult literature. The novel slam by walter dean myers has several themes. The narrative line is that slam the chief character is traveling to a new school that is a white school where he one. An exciting, eyecatching repackage of acclaimed author walter dean myers b. So when he is faced with several problems, he focuses and the maturity is seen in him as a young adultnot a.
August 12, 1937 july 1, 2014 was an american writer of. Greg is so good in basketball he earned the nickname slam. A seventeenyearold basketball star must learn to work with others both on and off the court. You feel as if you were on the court with slam during games and that you can feel the pain that. Bad boy by walter dean myers digital book trailer duration. Walter dean myers brings you into the world of harlem and the struggles of life with his coretta scott king awardwinning book, slam. The story revolves around the efforts of seventeen yearold greg slam harris to play basketball, while. Walter dean myers books, author biography, and reading level. This past semester i read the book slam by walter dean myers. By walter dean myers is about a 17 year boy, his athletic ability is outstanding but his grades isnt so hot. Slam s mom introduces a tutor to him but he doesnt want a tutor.
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