Slam Dunk Shoes

by Jake Maddox, Sean Tiffany (Illustrator)

Overview

Jamal’s been asked to try out for the super-elite youth basketball team. His dad makes him a deal: If Jamal makes the team, he gets new shoes. But will the fancy new shoes really improve Jamal’s game?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781598898422
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	09/01/2007
Series:	Jake Maddox Sports Stories Series
Pages:	72
Sales rank:	546,546
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	590L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Who is Jake Maddox? Athlete, author, world-traveler – or all three? He has surfed in Hawaii, scuba-dived in Australia, and climbed the mountains of Peru and Alaska. His books range from the most popular team sports to outdoor activities to survival adventures and even to auto racing. His exploits have inspired numerous writers to walk in his footsteps – literally! Each of his stories is stamped with teamwork, fair play, and a strong sense of self-worth and discipline. Always a team-player, Maddox realizes it takes more than one man (or woman) to create a book good enough for a young reader. He hopes the lessons learned on the court, field, or arena and the champion sprinter pace of his books can motivate kids to become better athletes and lifelong readers.

Sean Tiffany has worked as an illustrator for more than twenty-five years. He has illustrated more than sixty children's books for Capstone and has been an instructor at the famed Joe Kubert School in northern New Jersey. He mixes his love of comics, art, and rock and roll in the multimedia project OilCan Drive. Raised on a small island off the coast of Maine, Sean now resides in Boulder, Colorado with his wife, Monika, their son, James, and a house full of entirely too many guitars.

Table of Contents

Playground legend — A new opportunity — Surprise visit — Show-25s — The big day — Special surprise — New shoes, new game — Turnaround.

Interviews

With more than 3 million copies sold, Jake Maddox continues to draw in reluctant and struggling readers;,Sports stories are a natural showcase for social-emotional learning, with their emphasis on teamwork, personal goals, and overcoming difficulties;,Perfect for teaching plot and character development as well as problem solving;,Discussion questions and writing prompts encourage students to engage and think critically;

Editorial Reviews

Mix one part sports, one part conflict, and one part tween insecurity with solid writing, and the result is four stories that are perfect for middle school reluctant readers. In Motocross Double-Cross, best friends Carlos and Ricky must put friendship aside for the chance to compete in the United States Motocross Association Nationals. When each boy suspects the other of sabotaging his bike during their race, the question becomes whether Carlos and Ricky will be able to put heir differences aside and find the real saboteur. Jamal, the main character in Slam Dunk Shoes, is a street-ball legend in his hand-me-down basketball sneakers, but after getting a pair of top-of-the-line shoes for earning a spot on the Cyclones, the best youth team in the city, Jamal cannot seem to find his game. Is it really the shoes, or is Jamal trying too hard to impress his new teammates, who would rather ignore him than play with him? Snowboard Duel introduces readers to Brian and Hanna, best friends and the best snowboarders at Blair Mountain Resort. When Zach, the new resort manager’s son, convinces his mother that Blair Mountain needs a boys-only snowboard cross team, Brian is faces with a choice: join the guys and board , or walk away and keep his friendship with Hannah. Berk, the Titans’ goalie in Soccer Shootout, helped his team win their first state championship last year. A new season brings a new player – also a goalkeeper – and an opportunity for a place in a nationwide tournament. Berk must decide whether to accept another position and work with the new goalie or turn his back on his team.

VOYA