Walter Dean Myers brings you into the world of Harlem and the struggles of life with his Coretta Scott King Award-winning book, Slam!

Gregory “Slam” Harris is a talented basketball player with big dreams, but he has lots of obstacles to overcome. He also has many choices to make in his life. With the help of his girlfriend, Matisha, his teachers, and his family, Slam just might make it.

Slam lives for basketball and wants to play college ball, but his grades are slipping and his parents do not have enough money to send him to a good school. Although Slam thinks everyone is trying to bring him down, he is determined to show that he is capable of great achievements. Slam wants to prove to all that he can make something of himself and make them all proud. He wants people to know his name and what he is known for, which is basketball. Like Slam says, “Basketball is my life.”

Slam reminds me of myself when he finds out that if he doesn’t bring his grades up, he will have to stop playing basketball. I can relate to this because when my grades were slipping in school, my mother told me that if I didn’t improve soon, I wouldn’t be able to play either.

Myers shows the will power of a young man who will not give up on what he loves most. Slam learns that in order to get what he wants in life, he must let go of some things from his past, like some of his friends including his best friend, Ice, who deals drugs. Slam realizes that he wants to make it out of Harlem one day.