Have you ever felt like you didn't fit in? Slinky felt that way playing basketball on the big court. In the beginning, I didn't like this book because I thought that he was not going to stand up for himself. Later, I liked it because he stood up for himself and was being brave. ( )

This was such a cool book! James may be little, but when he gets asked to play ball with the big boys, he gives everything he's got. He gets knocked around, trash-talked, and shut down time and time again. But when the game is on the line, James pushes himself to the last shot. It's inspiring, relatable, the illustrations are creatively done, and is a beautiful story of confidence and believing in yourself. The language isn't inappropriate, but it might be a little too strong for the younger ages. ( )

Age Appropriateness: Primary
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Review: This was a good example of realistic fiction, because this basketball scene with a little guy wanting to play happens everywhere. Also, a lot of people could relate to this, because it has happened to them before.
Comments: -Talk about why it was so hard for James to play with older boys on the court.
- Ask, What helped James succeed on the court?
- Encourage positive behavior and actions towards others,even when they are mean. James is a good example of not retaliating.
Characters: James is the main character/protagonist, because the book is about him succeeding on the court. The mean boy and James' small size would be the antagonist, because that goes against him during the basketball game.
Media: Photography & Collage

Genre: realistic fiction
Review: This is a good example of realistic fiction because it portrays a group of boys playing basketball, which is an everyday situation. We have no evidence that the story is true, but it is easy to relate to many young boys. ( )

James finally gets to play basketball with older guys and he is determined not to let them down even though they are all telling him that he is too short. It would be a good book for boys and a great motivator for them to read about something that may interest them. ( )