Slam Dunk
- Publisher
- Orca Book Publishers
- Initial publish date
- Apr 2009
- Category
- NON-CLASSIFIABLE, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Basketball
- Recommended Age
- 9 to 12
- Recommended Grade
- 4 to 7
- Recommended Reading age
- 9 to 12
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781554697168
- Publish Date
- Apr 2009
- List Price
- $12.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
Sixteen-year-old Salvador "Slam" Amaro thinks being the assistant coach of the Brookfield High School girls' basketball team will be an easy gig.
Slam plans to show up, run a few drills and pad his resumé so he can win a spot on the Ontario Provincial Under-17 team. But his job suddenly gets a lot harder when the girls' coach and her daughter, the star point-guard, vanish after being threatened. Getting to the bottom of their disappearance puts Slam in confrontation with a mysterious stalker. But that's not his only problem. With the girls facing playoff elimination, Slam has to come up with some new coaching strategies while he battles some tough competitors for a place on the Ontario squad.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!
About the author
Kate Jaimet is an author and journalist who recently began a freelance career after many years as a daily newspaper reporter for the Ottawa Citizen. Her first book in the Orca Sports series, Slam Dunk, was selected by the Junior Library Guild and the Canadian Children's Book Centre as a Best Book for Kids & Teens. Kate learned to rock climb in Germany, and now has a bouldering wall in her basement in Ottawa, Ontario. More information is available at http://www.katejaimet.com.
Awards
- Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
- Commended, Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard Selection
Excerpt: Slam Dunk (by (author) Kate Jaimet)
It was Mike and me on the fast break, two-on-one against a skins' defenseman. I was closing in on the top of the key, with the defenseman stuck to me like glue, when I saw Mike. He was wide open at the bottom of the key and calling for the ball. One sharp pass to Mike and we'd clinch the win. But then I heard Coach Donovan's voice in my head: Whatcha got, kid? Whatcha got? And I thought: I'll show you what I've got.
Editorial Reviews
"Basketball playing readers will revel in the jargon: pivot, jump shot, rebound, dribble, layup. This teen novel from Orca Sports shows readers that always being the winner is not realistic and that everyone experiences how unfair life can be."
The Baytown Sun
"Much more than a sports novel. Here, readers see a skilled author working within the confines of a genre and transcending it. Recommended."
CM: Canadian Review of Materials
"Slam learns some important lessons about sportsmanship and teamwork...This book would be a good addition to collections."
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