Steve harmon he is a sixteen year old young black man who has been arrested for acting as the lookout in robbery that goes bad and ends in a murder. The narrative line is that slam the chief character is traveling to a new school that is a white school where he one time went to a predominately was black and so is he. The conflict in the story isnt as interesting as other books ive read but it is definitely different. Who are the main characters in the book slam by walter. Walter dean myers, author winning children book author. This book is about a high school basketball player, soon known as slam because of his skill in basketball. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Slam walter dean myers pdf, basketball, afroamericans, high schools, schools, prejudices.
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. What are quotes in the walter dean myers book slam. Slam is a likable character with a lot of difficult, yet believable things going on in his life. Characters walter dean myers born walter milton myers. 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. Author walter dean myers is the 2019 childrens literature legacy award winner. Gregory slam harris is a talented basketball player with. This set of lesson plans consists of approximately 105 pages of tests, essay questions, lessons, and other. Growing up in the ghetto, he does not have the proper guidance to steer his life in the right direction but he has tons of talent. A novel 2015 walter dean myerss last novel, delivers a gripping story based on the life of a real dancer known as master juba, who lived in the nineteenth century. Walter dean myers brings you into the world of harlem and the struggles of life with his coretta scott king awardwinning book, slam. Students must choose either this book or small steps by louis sachar and complete a summer project by the first day of school. Summary, sixteenyearold slam harris is counting on his noteworthy basketball talents to get him out of the inner city and give him a chance to succeed in life, buthis coach sees things differently. Scholastic, 1998 coretta scott king author award grade level.
Plot coach cal and lonnies team participates in the citywide tournament of champions. Slam is a corretta scott king author award winner and was voted the alas best book for young adults. Mtisha is a dark skinned, dark haired, pretty woman. The central character in the book slam is gregory harris, nicknamed slam. Walter dean myers grew up in harlem, new york just as his character slam did.
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. Another theme in the novel, slam, by walter dean myers, is keeping your priorities straight is the key to happiness. In the book, slam, by walter dean myers, the character mtisha plays slam s girlfriend. Growing up in the ghetto, he does not have the proper guidance to steer his life in the right direction but he has tons of. Slams girlfriend and ices friend, believes ice is selling drugs, cares for. The narrative line is that slam the chief character is traveling to a new school that is a white school where he one. Myers examines several significant themes throughout his novel slam, including friendship, teamwork, education, sports, and making the right choices in life. Can anyone describe the characters mtisha, ice, and derek from the.
Narrator thomas penny vividly captures both the internal and external challenges slam faces while chasing his dream from the streets, to. The setting is in a run down part of town in a big city that was unginven. School library journal myers reinforces his standing as a preeminent young adult author. Because walter dean myers does an outstanding job of creating characters with whom most adolescents could connect, slam is an excellent novel for adolescents.
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. With all the hard work and belief in their talents, they succeed in winning a series of games in the preliminary rounds and make it to the finals. He is the critically acclaimed new york times bestselling author an awardwinning body of work which includes, somewhere in the darkness, slam. Slam also struggles with this throughout the book because he often mistakes putting basketball before school and the relationships in his life. The son of moms and pops, and the older brother of derek, slam has a major crush on mtisha, and is best friends with ice. The only difference between on the court and off it is that everybody is in the game off the court. This engaging historical novel is based on the true story of the meteoric rise of an immensely talented young black dancer, william henry lane, who influenced todays tap, jazz, and step dancing. Hes quick enough to handle the point guard slot and, as his tag implies, he can slam dunk at will. Jun 07, 2012 walter dean myers does a good job of bringing up all the challenges that greg has to face. A seventeenyearold basketball star must learn to work with others both on and off the court. 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.
He wrote more than one hundred books including picture books and nonfiction. He loves to skateboard and rides the rails every chance he gets. With an urban, teenage voice, walter dean myers earnestly reflects the hopes and desires shared by many budding hoop dreamers. Slam by walter dean myers research essay graduateway. In fact, he even has a poster of tony in his bedroom and talks to it sometimes. Chapters 15, chapters 610, chapters 1115, chapters. Greg is the narrator and he is name slam on the basketball court.
I thought that the main character in the book was pretty cocky because when. A tough childhood led him to writing and his school teachers would encourage him in this habit as a way to. What are the main characters in slam by walter dean myers. August 12, july 1, was an american writer of childrens books best known for young adult literature. Slam is a very good book that shows how a kid from the streets that has a talent.
Characters from walter dean myers books come alive through the acting of these 6thgraders. At seventeen years old, greg slam harris is the main character and narrator of the novel 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. The style of writing that walter dean myers uses is probably. Can anyone describe the characters mtisha, ice, and derek from the book slam print print. Throughout the book, many conflicts arise that the main character slam has to deal with and overcome. The story is about the life, challenges, and growth of greg harris. She likes slam but values being treated right, so throughout the book she makes sure slam is always proper and nice to her. August 12, 1937 july 1, 2014 was a writer of childrens books best known for young adult literature. It all ties in smoothly with gregs basketball life and his dream of making it into the nba. Theme a major theme of the book slam is coming of age. Greg is a highschool student and a star basketball player at his highschool.
What are the main characters in slam by walter dean myers answers. Greg is great at basketball but doesnt think about offcourt things much. Lonnie jackson is a seventeenyear old african american who lives in harlem. This engaging historical novel is based on the true story of the meteoric rise of an immensely talented young black dancer, william henry lane, who influenced todays tap.
Myers has received two newbery honors, five coretta scott king awards, and the inaugural. Greg lives in the ghettos of new york with his younger brother and mother. Summarythe book slam is about a kid named greg harris who. Chapters 15, chapters 610, chapters 1115, chapters 1621 here are links to our lists for other works by. What is the theme of the book slam by walter dean myers. Walter dean myers does a good job of bringing up all the challenges that greg has to face. Fans of walter dean myers will like this book as well.
Bad boy by walter dean myers digital book trailer duration. Walter dean myers books, author biography, and reading level. It takes place in innercity harlem in new york, and its all about the life of greg slam harris on and off the court. Sam just asks, and then thinks about what tony would do. This book isnt just about a student being on the basketball team, but also about his life in his neighborhood. The story line is that slam the main character is going to a new school that is a white school where he once went to a predominately was black and so is he. Who are the main characters in the book slam by walter dean myers and what are their traits. Many teenagers will be able to relate to dealing with friends, school, sports, and family at the same time. Narrator thomas penny vividly captures both the internal and external challenges slam faces while chasing his dream from the streets, to the classrooms, to the hardwood floors. In the book, slam, by walter dean myers, the character mtisha plays slams girlfriend. Walter dean myers 67 books meet your next favorite book. The novel slam by walter dean myers has several themes. Once again, myers produces a book that reinforces his standing as a preeminent ya author. Slam s going oneonone with his future, and its a showdown he cant afford to lose.
The novel slam by walter dean myers is a story about an african american teenage athlete by the name of greg. He struggles with getting a lot of playing time at his new school because the coach thinks he is very cocky and a showoff. Mar 19, 2008 characters from walter dean myers books come alive through the acting of these 6thgraders. Slams going oneonone with his future, and its a showdown he cant afford to lose.
The story revolves around the efforts of seventeen yearold greg slam harris to play basketball, while maintaining his academics and his personal life. He is the narrator for the story, writing it in the form of a screenplay interspersed with his journal entries. An exciting, eyecatching repackage of acclaimed author walter dean myers b. Walter dean myers writes predominately children and 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. So when he is faced with several problems, he focuses and the maturity is seen in him as a young adultnot a. This past semester i read the book slam by walter dean myers. All the while the two are uncovering a longkept secret about themselves. Walter dean myers is the 2012 20 national ambassador for young peoples literature. Charactersmain characters gregory slam harris most important character he is.
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