Hoops Laurel Leaf books,1981,183pp.,$5.99
Walter Dean Myers ISNB 0-440-93884-8
Hoops, by Walter Dean Myers, is a great sports-filled novel. Seventeen-year-old Lonnie is a great basketball player, but when he finds out that his new coach is what he calls a “wino,” or drunk, he wants to quit his team. With the support of his friends and girlfriend, Mary Ann, Lonnie keeps playing, leading his team to the championship in his city tournament. Cal, his coach, feels Lonnie can make it to the big time (the NBA), but when some heavy bettors want Cal to keep Lonnie on the bench in the big game, the two of them have a big choice to make. Will Cal throw away Lonnie’s career like he did his own, when he was caught shaving points in a professional basketball game? Or will he do what he knows is right?
Walter Dean Myers is a magnificent author. Starting when his father bought him his first typewriter, Myers has written several picture books along with many other young adult novels. Having grown up on the streets of a big city, Myers can relate to what his characters face through out his novels.
Hoops is an amazing book. It details everything from just playing ball with the “boys” to making very difficult choices in real life situations. I recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good book, but especially to teenagers who like basketball or have to face many hardships in their lives.
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