Muhammad Ali may not have been the biggest, meanest boxer of all time, but he definitely has to be one of the most determined athletes ever to set foot in a ring. This is why Myers, like Ali himself, refers to the boxer as "the greatest." Through easy reading, Myers paints a picture of what life was life for working class blacks in the near South (Louisville KY) in the 1950's. He describes the fighters who came before Ali (heroes like Joe Louis and Archie Moore), and goes into detail describing both the person and the boxing style of Ali's opponents--Liston, Frazier, Foreman and others. Myers also details the mental strategies and physical competency of Ali. It is here that the reader realizes that much of Ali's game was fought outside the ring, with not only the next opponent, but also the press, the public, an the government. Viet Nam, the draft, the Nation of Islam, the skewing of the military to induct more minorities, and the subject of 'conscientious objection' are touched upon, giving young readers a sense of the social history of the period, without the ho-hum of a history book. Myers also dissects the boxing industry, where young talent is often beaten to a senseless pulp for the sake of audiences, the mass media, and a few dollars. Myers does an excellent job of conveying the fact that the boxer from Louisville was the greatest in his determination to win, not because of his physical ability, but because of his mental agility. Myers also notes Ali's negative trait of verbally insulting and intimidating his opponent. His vicious assaulting of his opponents (especially the racial insults he spewed at Joe Frazier) set the stage for the trash-talking which is now rampant in sports at all levels. This book will intrigue a variety of students in middle school and up. It is easy to read, with enough black and white photographs and large page margins to attract even reluctant readers. It is a good introduction to what actually goes on in professional athletics, the physical and mental game of winning.

The greatest muhammad ali was a really good book. I don't like reading but i couldn't but it down. It is about Muhammad Ali and his life. He got into boxing because of a kid that stole his bike. He wanted to beat the [stuff] out of the kid. As soon as they find the theif, Ali's trainer said he had good potentail. This book goes through Ali's life as a boxer and how he started. It talks about his family too. Walter Dean Myers wrote a lot of good books like Moster, and Fallen Angels which i also read. After reading those 2 books i wasen't disapointed.

The book"THE GREATEST MUHAMMAD ALI" is one of the best books ihave ever read. When I first read this book I coudn't put it down. this book only took me a week to read and also you get information you never herd of like I never knew that Muhammad Ali's real name is Cassius Clay. When Muhammad was young he used to get beat up and his bike was stolen. After he got beat up he started taking boxing lessions. He lost most of his boxing matches when he was young. In the book you lean about others like Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson Ali never misted a practus. The reason I liked the book is because I took boxing lessons and now Iknow how to protect myself if I need to. Also you get good information on the boxers Ali's life. In the book they say that Ali has skills of most of thebest fighters that ever lived.Reading this book helped me change the way I look at things like the way I treat people andto be tough competitor at sports I play. It also helped me see how his life was as a African American boxer. I'm glad I found this awesome book to read because it made me want to be a boxer.

You think your life is tough? Well, look at the life of a teenager growing up in New York City. Walter Dean Meyers takes you to these streets in Hoops.

Lonnie and his friends enter in a basketball tournament. However, to Lonnie's dislike, their coach is a man who he sees drunk a couple nights before the tournament. To his surprise, the coach, Cal, is a former pro basketball player. Ultimately, Cal, Lonnie and the rest of the team overcome many obstacles to win the tournament.

One strength of this book is that it is very suspenseful; after the first few chapters I couldn't put it down. For example, at the end of a chapter it says, "Tomorrow we would play against Boston," and I wanted to find out what happens at the game.

A weakness of this book is that it has a slow beginning, and it takes a while for it to get interesting. The first chapter only talks about what Lonnie's life is like and that is not very interesting.

Hoops is a good book, but part of the reason I enjoy playing basketball. For someone who does not really like or even hates basketball, this book is a bad choice.

I recommend this book to teenagers or preteens because the main characters are all teenagers. If a ten year old reads this book, he may have a hard time understanding the concepts.

Flawless, energetic, streetwise, loving, caring, and a dunking fool. This is Lonnie Jackson from the book Hoops by Walter Dean Myers. Born and raised in Harlem, Lonnie a 17 year old senior, has a game like nobody has see before. He looks to help his team in the Coache's Turnament held in New York City.
Lonnie's coach, Cal Jones, gathers up a bunch of kids off the street, who can play ball, and makes a team out of them. At first the cemistry wasn't working, and then everything clicked and they start winning. Lonnie has many problems he has to over come throughout the book. One of his problems is his girlfriend, and other is his friend Paul and some missing welfare checks. Towards the end Cal gets into some trouble, wil the team keep winning.
If you like excitement and drama that keeps you turning the page then this is the books for you. I really loved this book, since I can connect with it in many ways including playing basketball.
Lonnie Jackson is a very excellent character and I think you will enjoy learning more about Lonnie's life.

LONNIE JACKSON: tall, strong, fast and hungery to win almost everything needed to become a great basketball player and this is what the book hoops by walter dean myers is all about.
Lonnie jackson's one and only passion in life is to play in the NBA. His game is really good when he makes his mind up to join a city turnement to prove to the world that he can play on any level. his entire team is from harlem new york and they have been predicted tred to make it to the final four. To make it this far though they would have to over come many obsticles.
I think this book is very well written. this book had is up and downs but over all this was a very good book that not just about basketball its about life.
I would reccomend this book to any one who likes basketball or anyone who loves to read.

Bad Boys by Walter Dean Myers would receive 4 stars for reality, suspense, flare, and an on the edge of your seat story line.Bad Boys is about a young boy named Walter whose life really only revolves around his family, school, friends, and his secret love of literature. Walter has a big problem with getting into mischief. He is always sitting in the corner or having his mother?s request to come in. But, his biggest problem is that when he gets home his mother is never happy with him, and her being an abusive alcoholic sometimes she would get rough with Walter. Walter is an exceptionally bright student but with one problem, he has a speaking impairment. This impairment cannot be detected by Walter, but to everyone else it is a large distraction. Despite his speaking, Walter gets excepted to a higher grade and excepts the request. Through his new grade Walter learns the difference between being white and being black. Although Walter is black, he never knew that, that was looked at as a bad thing to most whites. Besides Walter being taunted about being black, he would also be taunted if everyone knew he loved literature and poetry.
At Walter?s new school, he begins to slowly grow up. He begins to skip school sporadically and begins to hang around a new friend. He slowly is persuaded by his family to change his ways.

Walter Dean Myers, award winning writer of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, describes his life by saying, 'All in all it has been a great journey and not at all shabby for a bad boy'. Myers uses matter of fact descriptions, in a partisan tone, to allow the reader to 'see from the inside' his 1950's journey to becoming a popular and recognized writer for young adults. Chronologically, he tells his story of life in Harlem, where he struggles with his alcoholic mother, and depressed, illiterate father. Young Myers secretly has a great passion for reading and writing, and ashamedly uses this to escape his difficulties at home and school. Ultimately his struggles overwhelm him and he quits school and writing. At age 17 he joins the army, barely avoiding arrest by the police and abuse by gang members. After many desertions of his love of literature, he returns to it, following his English teachers advice, 'Whatever happens, never stop writing' and continues writing today. Myers innovative style is represented in this book, as he presents his life as a journey with literature, rather than a bland account of his childhood. The medium typeface and plenty of white space, make this book appropriate for readers in grades 6-12. Although Myers' literary references within the text may present some confusion for young readers, it also provides the encouragement that Myers considers his readers intelligent. This book is an excellent choice for minorities, young boys, as well as a true inspiration to all young writers.

The book Bad Boy by Walter Dean Myers is a memoir of the author's life. Set mostly in Harlem, the book follows Myers' troublesome childhood and the challenges he faced with his family life, his adoption, and his behavior. Though a bright child, he had a quick temper and a speech problem. This got him into many bad situations and unfortunately partly led to his "downfall" in school.
In Bad Boy, I loved how the setting of the book is in Harlem, where I have visited many times. I am familiar with many of the places he "relaxed" in and feel connected to him somehow. The book is wonderfully written and shows that in the end, even a "troubled" boy can succeed. The author was adopted by Herbert and Florence Myers and many times talks about his and biological and natural families in the book. He gets the Dean in his name from his biological father and the Myers in his name from his adoptive father. The book shows the world of poverty, something that I am not acquainted with at all. It showed me that everyone does not have the things that us "middle class" kids have. All in all, he was raised in a bad situation, but turned out good in the end. In a teenager's view, parents are wrong. Period. In reality, they are only wrong sometimes, not all the time, or, just don't understand. In the end of the book on page 205, his father says, "You wrote stories when you were a boy. You're a man, now." This shows that his father didn't understand his passion for writing, and thought that writing was not "man's work".
I believe there were many small themes in the book. Bad Boy highlighted racism, teenage hood, and poverty just to name a few. As an African American teenager, I have experienced some, but not all of the things he has. I think that the main theme of the book is misunderstanding. When he spent all his time reading and writing his mother didn't understand him. When he skipped school, no one really understood him and he was sent to a social worker. Racism is product of misunderstanding. Even now, I don't understand why he skipped school, but then again, I haven't been adopted, or live in Harlem, or have a passion for reading. I have not walked in his shoes. That is one of the reasons I read this book, so that I could see what his life was like. So that I could enter an unfortunate teenager's life and realize that I am truly blessed.
All in all, this book is one of the best books I have read. I would recommend it too anyone in the hallway at school, or passers by on the sidewalk. His writings are geared toward children and teenagers, so it is a more appealing book to that group than to adults, but adults should read this too. Maybe they can venture into the life of a teenager, or a child in poverty. Maybe they can remember their childhood and how the world was so different then.
A lot can be learned from this book, but I think that the most important thing is the acceptance of ideas and others.

The Worst Way To Spend Your Summer Or Is It? Four young black teens from New York are caught by the police spray painting a rail road car and are sentenced to work in an old folk's home for the summer. One of the young boys has been in trouble with the law several times before but finds he has more in common with the seniors from the home than the others. They are forced to be together, none or them liking the circumstances that brought them together; however, as they get to know each other they find their lives are changed. Earl, the boy who has been in trouble before is living with Steve and Steve's parents on a trial basis but wants to have a permanent home. The book is written as if Steve Perry is writing to his journal. If you like good humor mixed with serious problems dealing with old age then you would like this book as I did.

This story is about a group of four kids that get into trouble with the law.As punishment the kids have to help the senior citizens that live at Micheaux House Senior citizens home.The senior citizens that live there are both black and white.After
reading this book you will find out that the senior citizens home might get closed down. In order to try to save the home the senior citizens decide to open a deli and the kids help.

I thought this book was funny because of the waythe people talk and the the words that they use. The pedicaments that the kids and the senior citizens get intoare pretty funny also.Plus the problem in this story probably happens every day,and this book tells you about a group of people that are different nationalities and age s worked together to try to save a senior citizens home. So all in all I thought this book was funny and realistic.

The Main Character of my book is Steve. He's thirteen, likes basketball, and collects nickels. His best friend Hi-note is the toughest guy on the block until Steve's parents adopted a thirteen-year-old kid named Earl. Hi-note and Steve try to prove to Earl that they are tough by spray painting the word Visigoths. They tell these teenage guys that's the name of their gang and they always spray paint their gang name on trains. Well what they didn't know about these guys was that they were the Royal Transit Police. The police sent them to court and the judge gave them the choice of spending a little time in jail or work at an old age home. Hi-note, Patti, Earl, and Steve. While they were at the old age home they try to get along with the old people but they are very grumpy. Later on in the book they find out that the reason they are so grumpy is because they keep calling them old folks and not seniors and they keep on helping them like there a child. After they find out that was the only thing wrong with the seniors

I bought this book because I had loved Myers' previous work, "Monster." However, I was rather disappointed by "Handbook for Boys"' lack of storyline. The stuff Duke talks about is all true and good, and Jimmy seems to accept and understand all of this. But almost nowhere in the book do we see Jimmy actually applying this newly acquired wisdom. And you never get to figure out how exactly Duke, Cap, and Mr. M got that smart in the first place! It would've been nice if Mr. Myers had given some background on Duke's life at least. All in all, "Handbook for Boys" is more of a self-help book for teens (not just boys, either), than an actual novel.

This book is very easy reading, and it has such a great message! The book parallels several themes present in Myers' Bad Boy. Myers' introduction to the book discusses how important he believes good advice is to young people. He stresses how a mentor or role model can change a person's focus in life. Jimmy Lynch is taken in by Duke, an old barber in Harlem. Jimmy works at the shop in order to meet his probation agreement. Although Jimmy hates the work at first, he starts to listen to the advice of Duke and the other old men in the neighborhood. As the book progresses a change in Jimmy's attitude and views on life become evident. He grows as a person through his relationship with Duke.
I highly recommend this book for middle school students!

Sixteen-year-old Jimmy Lynch has a choice to make: go to jail for six months or join Duke Wilson's community mentoring program. Thinking he got off easy, Jimmy goes to Duke's barber shop every day after school, where life is anything but easy. A steady stream of various characters provide a colorful backdrop of lessons to be learned. Duke, Cap, and Mr. M provide a daily barage of advice and stories for both Jimmy and Kevin, another student in need of mentoring. Jimmy thinks the old men are anything but helpful, until he finally begins to understand the purpose of their comments and the depth of their wisdom. When Kevin falls back into trouble Jimmy has a choice to make, one that he knows can affect his life forever. Like Duke says, Jimmy knows what the right thing to do is. Doing it is different, though.
Myers' book is a quick and lively read that helps young readers see the necessity of living life as a participant, not a spectator. The "mentors" encourage the teens to be in charge of their own destiny, and to not be a victim, like many of the people they see in their neighborhood. I highly recommend this book for both teens and adults, especially to be read together.

Motown and Didi written by Walter Dean Myers is an excellent novel on how to keep families together,while keeping cool inspite of all the tragic realities in life.This book is recommended for teens and young adults of ethnic background, but it contains universal themes. I recommend this book to those in search of a great story. Motown and DiDi are two black teenagers who live Harlem,New York who have big dreams for their lives. Neither realized that the streets would enable them to furfill their dreams. The unversal concepts in this book include the seperation of families due to drug use and how they will affect your family life. The other concept mentioned in this book is the search for true love. I rarely take the time to read books, but this I couldn't put this one down. It was a fast read that reminded me of a soap opera. Turning each page, I was more enthused on how the characters would react to the situation they were facing.The only problem with the book was the changing of scenes in one paragraph. Besides that I really enjoyed this book and encourage all to read.

this amazing piece of litaraure writen by Walter Dean Myers is an extrodinary view of the dicrimination involved in city life, and will be a good read for anyone who wishes to learn life skills involving city living, the perspective of discriminated African Americans or is interested in a truely facinating love story.

'A Place Called Heartbreak' is a fairly good book.I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to know about the Vietnam War. I gave the book three stars. My favorite part was when Fred Cherry was finally let out of prison. He was an airforce pilot for the USA. He was captured when his plane was shot down by a North Vietnamese soldier. While he was in prison he taught the other prisoners "tap." Soldiers had to learn a tap code to communicate with other prisoners in different cells. That was pretty cool. This book was okay. Try it.--Baseball Stud

Engrossed is the only possible description for my boys when reading this book. The chapters are short enough to keep a reluctant reader going, the black & white illustrations add to the story. Myers' historic notes at the end add value to a well disguised history lesson. My boys are ages 13 and 12.

at the end of the 1997 school year. my son and other students at his school were given assignments to do over the summer. this project is due the first day of school and will be their first grade for the new school year. The Glory Story Was one of the books for the kids to read and my son chose to read it. In this report the kids have to set the report up as if you were reading a newspaper. I must tell you I have read the book along with my son and the two of us have put together a very nice paper for my son to turn in the first day of school. This book should help the younger generation ages 9,10,11,12,13,14 to understand just how hard the african american family struggled in the slave days and just how strong they are now.....despite battles we went thru trying to earn freedom. I recommend all families of any origin to read this novel think back to what happen back then and appreciate where we are now. Although we still struggle we have definitely come a long long way. my email address is mredd38448@aol.com Thank you Marsha Redd

I thought that this book was overall a good book. I thought at the beginning it was somewhat confusing when it suddenly switched to a different generation but I caught on. This book was not like many other that I, myself have read but it was very well.

The book follows five generations of the Lewis family. In each generation, it focuses on one teenager's life. It follows these generations over a 250-time period, from Africa to South Carolina. It shows that teenagers struggle at that time in the world and what they grow through being an African-American in America. It shows how much it was change since the generation before them.

I think that the thing that did not make this book a perfect five stars was that u did not really get to know each generations teenager. You did not get to know everything about them and their life's, but it was enough to understand what was happening. I think that the book was really well overall and that it was great book to read.
I think that this book is a great book for African-Americans trying to maybe get a little taste of what it was like before their generation. I also think it is a great book for those trying to learn more about the African-American culture. In my conclusion, I will also say that this is a great reading pick.

I am not, and never have been, much of a history buff. In fact, it was my least favorite subject throughout school. Therefore, I never expected to enjoy reading The Glory Field.... but I did! Incredibly, I have to say, it is by far one of THE BEST books I've ever read. I immediately found myself drawn into the lives of the characters; wondering which of them would make it, and which ones would not. I'd sit down to read "a few pages", and find myself still reading an hour later. Myers paints a vivid picture of the black slaves' life: their commitment to family, their never-ending belief in God, and their struggle for freedom...and survival. He takes the reader on the journey of a lifetime...from the trip over from Africa on the crowded slave ship, through the days of back-breaking labor in the fields, through the civil rights movement, to the glorious days of owning their own land. The reader finds himself unable to put the book down, connected to this family's journey, and struggling along with them for what's right. My advice: READ this book! Teachers, read it to your students. Moms & Dads, read it to your children. Read it for yourself. You'll be glad you did, and a little more grateful for what you have.

Walter Dean Myers writes in serious tone but gives you a realistic spark of hope. This book is somewhat depressing. This book was sometimes confusing for me because you think something good is going to happen but never does This book is about a boy named Jimmy Little, a normal 14-year-old boy. Jimmy hadbeen reaised by his beloved, dependable "Mama Jean.'' Mama Jean was a good friend of the parent that Jimmy doesn't even remeber. His mother is dead and his dad, ''Crab,'' is in prison. His father is in prison for killing a man in an armed robbery. Suddenly Crab shows up, claiming that he is on parole and has a job in Chicago. Jimmy agrees to go with him, but Crab's lies begin to fall apart even before they leave New York. He has kidney failure, and has escaped from a prison hospital. The two go to Arkansas, where Crab hopes his his old friend , Rydell, will assure his innocense. Crab was convicted convicted of murder as the result of another friend's pleabargaining. Rydell, who onced betrayed Crab with his silence, betrays him again by calling the police, Crab surrenders, then dies soon after in the hospital. The thing that I did like about the story was how Mama Jean raised Jimmy and gave him food on the table, clothes on his back, and a roof over his head. I thought that was very thoughtful of her.The thing that i din't like about the story was that Crab tried to build a relationship at the last minute and expected Jimmy to go right along with it.

Everyone goes through a period of change from child to adult and Somewhere in the Darkness is Jimmy Little's coming of age story. This book is similar to The Outsiders but instead of a group of boys it deals with one boy coming to terms with his father and his father's past. Overall, this book has one central problem which keeps the story flowing into what is ultimately a satisfying ending. Jimmy Liitle is what most people would call a "slacker," but I think that he has a really active imagination. I think that he has an overactive imagination because he doesn't live with his mother or father and he uses his imagination to fill the void that he has. Jimmy lives with his mother's best friend, Mama Jean, because his mother is dead and his father is in jail for killing someone (however, he is falsely accused). One day Jimmy gets home from school early and he sees his father, Crab, waiting for him. Jimmy's father escaped from prison and he wants to find the one man who can prove that he is innocent. However, he law catches up with him in the end and Crab dies a sick man, chained to the bed in his hospital room. I think that the message in this book to learn to accept and learn to love. Jimmy has to accept that his father did not abandon him and that he was wrongfully convicted. I think that in the end Jimmy loves his father and is really sad when his father dies. Walter Dean Meyers writes with empathy for the feelings of his characters and he uses his language to convey intricate realtionships between his characters. Meyers combines compassion, tenderness, adn toughness in a unique blend that makes Somewhere in the Darkness a satisfying read.

Have you ever wondered what it is like to live without a father? If you read Somewhere in the Darkness you will find out. I enjoyed reading Somewhere in the Darkness by Walter Dean Meyers because the book always kept my interest. The book is about a mischievous boy named Jimmy who has to try and make the best of being together with a total stranger, his father. I have never read any other book by Walter Dean Meyers but, I think this book compares to the Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Both books have details about the boys needing their fathers. In both books they had to live without their fathers and make the best of it. The only difference is, in Somewhere in the Darkness, Jimmy gets a second chance to be with his father. Jimmy is a fifteen year old boy who does his best living without a father. He lives with his only relative,Mama Jean. She is the only person he has ever known and loved. One day, his father Crab, shows up at Jimmy's home. Jimmy has never met Crab because he was put in jail for murdering someone. Crab was never a real murderer and he wants to make sure Jimmy believes him. So, in order to spend time with Jimmy him on a long trip. Overtime, he eventually learns to love and trust his father through their many adventures and days together. Crab has bad kidney problems, and in the end of the book ends up dying. However, the death leaves Jimmy stronger and with more knowledge about his father. I like how the author describes everything in the book with details. For example, Walter Dean Meyers describes,"There was a breeze, not much, but it was something. It cooled his brow with it's freshness." This expression explains there was a breeze with every possible detail. I also like how Jimmy's character is described sometimes as a child and other times as a young man. For example, many times in the beginning of the book Jimmy gets upset with Crab and wants to go home. Later in the book, Jimmy is also very brave after Crab died. He was very strong and understanding. In my opinion, the book is very interesting and fun to read. I think the only discouraging part in the book is when Crab dies. I guess that is how the author wanted the book to end. It is sad because Jimmy was just starting to love Crab and to become a real son to him. I think the book proves a real point about making the best of whatever comes along during your life. For Jimmy, that is his father. For us, we will just have to wait and see. Overall Somewhere in the Darkness is great and I would love to read it again.

I give The Journal of Biddy Owens two stars. Although I am a big fan of Baseball I am not a big fan of this book. This book was kind of boring to me. It's about a 17 year old kid who loves baseball. He is the equipment manager for the Birmington Black Barons, one of the best teams in the Negro leagues. The main character , Biddy tells about his experiences traveling with the team and the prejudice they encounter. Although I enjoyed reading about their eperiences I wanted to know more. I think the author could have told more about Biddy's friends,his life in the neighborhood and his encounters with prejudice. I also think the author could have told more about characters and their relationships. This book kept me wanting more information,descriptions and details. To me this is not a must read book.

As the great American pastime, baseball will always hold a special place in the hearts of the American people. However, the prominent role this sport has played in the African American community is often overlooked. The Negro Leagues gave African American athletes the opportunity to both display their talents and earn a living. In addition, the Negro Leagues provided all African Americans with a social outlet and heroes of their own. As African American athletes such as Jackie Robinson began to integrate into the Major Leagues, the vitality and ultimate survival of the Negro Leagues was threatened.

Through The Journal of Biddy Owens, Myers deftly teaches children about this y time of transition in the history of the Negro Leagues. Through the fictional journal entries of seventeen year old Biddy, an equipment manager for the Birmingham Black Barons, readers are immediately drawn into the world of baseball. Children are not only exposed to historical
information about baseball and the Negro leagues, but also about segregation, racism and other aspects of the social climate in the 1940's. The final chapter of the book provides a brief historical overview of life in 1948 for children like Biddy, while reinforcing the history lessons laced throughout the book. This book is a must for children who love baseball, but will be enjoyed by all.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Baseball fans I have the book for you.The title of the book is The Journal of Biddy Owens Biddy Owens is a seventeen year old boy who is equipptment manager for the Birmingham Black Barons.The Birmingham Black Barons are a Negro league team.The Negro league teams travel around alot because few of them have their own field. Biddy would travel with the team and write about his experiences. HIs parents didn't actually approve of Biddy working for the team because they thought the more he traveled the more it endangered their family. He kept on traveling though because he loved baseball, he loved watching it and he loved playing it. I really liked that the author talked a lot about baseball in 1948 and only a little about what else was going on during that time. I would ratehre just hear about baseball and not so much about how cruel and mean people were to blacks. That doesn't keeep my interest as much as reading about baseball does. For those of you who want a story rich with history and relationships I would not recommend you read this, but...for baseball fans this is a must read book. I give it 5 stars!