About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is struggling to bridge the gap between their natural talents and the academic or personal discipline required to succeed. It is particularly resonant for kids who feel misunderstood by authority figures or who define themselves solely through a single hobby or sport. Slam! follows seventeen-year-old Greg Harris as he navigates a new magnet school where his basketball skills are elite but his grades are failing. The story explores the friction between a young man's ego and the humility needed to ask for help. Parents will appreciate how Walter Dean Myers treats Greg's internal life with dignity and realism. The book tackles themes of accountability and the fear of the future without being preachy. It is an excellent choice for 12 to 17 year olds who need to see that true grit involves more than just physical talent, it requires the emotional resilience to tackle the things you aren't naturally good at.
