Youth and High School Books

I started reading this book on a monday morning and finished it that night. I couldnt stop reading and Darcy Frey kept me at the edge of my seat. I couldnt wait to see what would happen to the three other players featured in this book besides Stephon Marbury. I recommend this book to ANY basketball fan or anyone intrested in the struggles of lower income neighborhoods.

This book was set in the early 90's in one of New York City's worst neighborhoods. The story is of the struggle that 3 friends (plus one genuine jerk) under go in their individual pursuits of college scholarships. The things that they see and experience are still the same type of challenges that face today's urban learners. I give Darvy Frey credit for bringing us in to their world in a way that very few authors can pull off. If you are considering buying this book do so you will not be dissapointed.

Coney Island the basketball playground of America is the setting for the Last Shot: City Streets and Basketball Dreams. 4 stories of H.S. basketball players who goto Abraham Lincoln H.S. and play for the might basketball team the Railsplitters (What a cool name). I mainly bought this book because Stephon Marbury is featured as one of the four people in it. I myself grew up in Brighton Beach one town away from Coney Island so I know how life is... This book is true and real and I recommend this book to any sports fan or anyone who is looking for a real treat.

A classic piece of sports writing, but for everyone. The author is a writer for the New York Times Magazine. In this book he writes about the lives of some high school basketball players/high school students (in that order).

Like the other posters have noted, it's not just for basketball freaks. It's a well written story about some kids in the 90's who live in the projects in Brooklyn, Coney Island for the most part, and how much basketball means to them. In the book it seems like basketball is their only path to success. But they are up against the recruiters, hustlers and the SATS (which they need to get a 700 on but that's just out of reach for most).

You get to meet the student athletes, Russell, Corey, Tchak, and Stephon, their parents, coaches, recruiters, local prophets, etc, and the author treats them all with a level of respect the New York Times Magazine accords the suit wearing sharks.

If you get this book, you won't have to read long before you're committed to reading the whole thing. It's a very rare book indeed that leaves me wanting more. I would have loved to read a sequel. Alas, we only get an afterward, but the story had to end somewhere and the afterward was, well, quite the shock.

If you like hoops you would love this story. Darcey frey the author who's also a sports writter follows the life of three young men who's dream is to become professional basketball players.Living in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn these three men are faced with durgs violence, and everything you see on the streets of Brooklyn. A very inspirational story, and a indepth look on the career of Stephon Marbury.This is a book you would want to share with a friend.

Incredible book! If you have any interest in ministry on a college campus this book is an absolute must have. I have read it several times and each time it motivates me and teaches me.

This book is fantastic for college students, campus staff, or anyone who wants to lead a missional life! It is perfect for a small group!

If you are looking to get stirred up for, and getting some great practicals for implimenting a effective college ministry on your campus or in your town read this book. You will go through past leaders of mission movements, what their lives looked like, and what was the defining elements that set them apart in ministry.

This is one of the only books I have seen relating solely to the changing of a college campus for Christ. Steve does an excellent job describing his experiences working with and reaching college students, all the while giving practical examples of how any college student can find a strategic group to strive towards reaching for the Lord. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a "how to manual" to reaching the lost on his college campus.

This book is as hard to put down as it is life changing. Shadrach does a great job weaving practical ministry advice into interesting real life stories. This is a must read for every college minister, every college aged Christian, and anyone serious about building God's kingdom on the college campus. Thanks Steve Shadrach!!!

This book is everything everyone says it is when it comes to a warm, feel-good read. More than half the book is dedicated to the situation of the school in rural North Carolina and the experiences of a teacher who went there from California to get a different experience. The main characters in the book are a couple of teachers and community leaders, and not necessarily the kids who built the car. The real story of the electric car doesn't get started until about halfway through the book. While I would have been interested in a few more details about the project, the book is still a good read. It skips large sections of the actual project. You seem to go from the initial planning stages to the competition without knowing if the kids painted the car, but that's a minor drawback. By the time the competition starts, it seems like there are only a few pages left, but that's probably the most powerful part of the book. The "disadvantaged" kids manage to win the competition in an emotional and unexpected surprise performance by their car. It appears as though the victory was partially due to painstaking planning and the good luck of having chosen better drivers who knew how to get the most out of the car. Finally, I would have liked a little more closure. There is a section at the end that quickly wraps up what happened later, and while it gives the basic details, it leaves you wanting to know just a little more. Still, in spite of all the drawbacks, this is a very good book, and if you are interested in electric vehicles, it's a different take on the topic.

This was a wonderful book. She portrayed Miller & Ryan perfectly. I had the wonderful opportunity of being a member of the NEAT the year after the events in her book took place. She captured every detail perfectly and I was able to relive a wonderful part of my life. Once you pick up this book you will not be able to put it down until you have read the last page!!

As a member of the EV team at Northamton-East, Caroline Kettlewell made me feel the whole adventure all over again. It was like she took what I saw and felt and put words to it. I am so glad someone told this story, that other people get to read our stugale to the top. If you like to cheer for the underdog you need to read this book. Bryan T Ferguson "the man who drove to the record"

I was sent the book by family - maybe because of the NASCAR connection. I started it on a plane trip to the east coast and finished it, with tears in my eyes, on the way home 2 days later. You start pulling for the kids in the story from the start and share all the ups and downs as they meet each challenge that faces them. What we need is more teachers like Eric Ryan! I highly recommend the book for anyone who likes pulling for the underdog.

How can a story about electric cars bring tears to your eyes, even when you're reading it for the sixth time? Not only is the story riveting, but the writing is a pleasure. As in the works of Tracy Kidder and John McPhee, some authors and stories are made for each other. But neither of those Pulitzer Prize winners ever made me cry. This is a book to be read multiple times - for the inspiration, for the use of words, for the drama, for the joy.

This book was recommended to me by a fellow educator. I was skeptical that my High School students would be interested in it, after all, it is a picture book. To my surprise, my high schoolers with autism loved it. It gave us a great medium through which to discuss social skills and it is a format that really works for them. It is not childish or cheesy at all. It includes a variety of social skill issues and topics---it kept us busy for most of the school year. My students with learning disabilities were not as interested in the book itself, but I was able to use the step-by-step descriptions to work on social skills in other ways.

Jed Baker has produced another great resource to help teachers support social growth and development. There are too few resources for those teaching in middle and high school so I was thrilled to see secondary version hit the market(there is an elementary book as well). If you regularly work with students with autism, you need this book.

I have used this book with my students as a middle school speech pathologist. The pictures are a great resource for the students to visualize the right and wrong way to behave. They enjoy correcting the wrong pictures as part of therapy. An added bonus it that another book of Jed Baker's has worksheets and lessons that directly teach the social skills in the pictures. Truly a great resource for anyone who teaches social skills.

The book is in excellent condition, was packaged properly and shipped promptly.

Some of the pictures don't accurately show the body language like I would expect them too. Also, pictures are duplicated in the book for various body languages. Would be nice to have different pictures so as not to confuse the student. But I do think it will be helpful for my daughter to use along with her counselor.

While I think some of the students who could benefit from this book might find it a bit patronizing and beneath their level of maturity and intelligence (since it depends on pictures so much), there are some really valuable insights to be found for just about everyone with any degree of Asperger's Syndrome. The only improvement I would suggest is that more details on body language reading and face reading be included. For example, when Dr. Baker says to check first whether a potential friend looks receptive, exactly what should one look for in the facial expression and body posture? Dr. Baker gives some details on these things, but I think some Asperger's students might need more specific pointers.

Let's face it, if you're working with Jr. High kids, there's something that's a little funny in your wiring anyhow. And, I believe that this book is written perfectly for the Jr. High worker, whether full-time, part-time, volunteer, or potential youth worker. There's so much useful, beneficial information, and Kurt drives it home. I'm currently IM'ing another one of my jr. high staff, and telling him to pick it up! a MUST for everyone who works with jr. high!

Kurt's wisdom about this age group has been HUGELY valuable to me as I've led our jr. high ministry. No doubt this book is worth the read --- and then daring to put the ideas into practice to serve these amazing people called jr. high students!

Kurt Johnston's book should be read by anyone who is in Youth Ministry, be they volunteer, parent or Pastor. He offers insights into all aspects of Junior High Ministry, including suggestions on recruiting volunteers and making them feel they are a viable part of the effort. He offers suggestion after suggestion on everything from games, to messages, to small groups, to special events. The section on creativity will help you think of being creative in a whole new light.
There are sound suggestions on how to build trust and relationships with students who are facing an awkward phase of life, realizing that not every student responds the same.
Most importantly this book will help you to show students that not only do you care about them, but Christ cares for them more than they know.
Give this book to your church's Youth Pastor, you will be glad you did.

The simplicity of this book is amazing. They say so much with so few words and it is all inspired by the Word of God. It is filled with the practical application of the Word, and I constantly find myself going back to it for reference. At the end of each chapter, there is a section of specific bullets on how you can practically apply all that was talked about in that section.

The book is tiny. It really is about five or six inches tall, about six or seven inches wide and maybe 1.5 or 2 inches thick. So it's portable! Not a bad buy at all.

This book has answered so many of my questions as I search for a clear way to be a Christian in today's world, as a young adult. The chapters like "Arrange Your Priorities" and "Contentment Is Good for the Soul" are arranged in easy to read passages, with great biblical quotes and little suggestions on how to be a better Christian. Some suggestions are easy and will help you right away, some are definitely things to work on and keep in mind for the long haul. I found myself nodding with every passage though- it's so right on! A definite recommend to everyone!

This book is very clear in its message. It gives great advice about how to live a Chritian life. I was very impressed by the straitforwardness of the book. This book is a definate must for both the newest Christian or the oldest beleiver.

I recently read Slow Death and thought it was a fun book to read. The book hit on many topics that adolescents can relate to such a peer pressure, feeling alone, anddeveloping empathy for all groups of people, including seniors, ethnic background and races. Josh, the main character, really discovers what kind of person he is when he has to start his life over in a different part of the country. He relies on his basketball skils to forge new friendships and self-confidence. I would recommend this book for any parent of pre-teen or teenagers or educators as a read aloud. This book will draw and keep the listener or reader's attention throughout the story. An Excellent read!

I WAS SURPRISED AND ENTERTAINED WITH HIS EXPRESSION AND WRITING SKILLS.

HE HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO DEVELOP THE CHARACTERS INVOLVED AND PRESENTED THE STORY FROM A POINT OF VIEW THAT SHOULD BE INSPIRATIONAL TO READERS OF ALL AGES.

I BELIEVE EVERY TEENAGER COULD IDENTIFY WITH THE PRESURES THAT SURROUNDS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN "SLOW DEATH".

MY ONLY CONCERN IS THE TITLE OF THE BOOK. I DO NOT THINK IT REFLECTS THE REAL MEANING AND INTENTION OF THE WRITER.

I HAVE RATED THIS A 5 ON THE SCALE (...) BECAUSE I TOTALY ENJOYED THE STORY AND THE ART OF THE STORY-TELLING

I coach a grammar school basketball team of 5th and 6th graders. I gave the team of 13 players a copy of the book for Christmas. Almost all of them read it and everyone who read it really liked it. I read it as well and rate it 5 stars.
The book is about a kid named Josh who moves from a white neighborhood in California to a black neighborhood in NYC and has to adjust. He meets a bunch of kids who like basketball as much as he does and they play pickup games together. Lots of interesting relationships develop. When Josh is not allowed to try out for the school basketball team by the coach because of his appearance, he and several other kids form a team to challenge the school team. They are coached by the school janitor, an ex basketball star who is out to prove the school coach's win -at- all costs approach is not the best one.
The book has a great ending and lots of great basketball action, with colorful players nicknamed Dish, Death and Weatherman. The book also teaches some valuable lessons to kids- getting along regardless of appearance, teamwork and sportsmanship matter in addition to winning, and importance of putting basketball in perspective along with other interests in life. Anyone 10 years or older who likes basketball will really like this book.
Great gift for coaches to give their teams. Enjoy!

Makes a person think about education, urban planning and the cost of suberbia.

Michael Downs has done a wonderful job of weaving in his personal life with a story of hopes and dreams--some realized and some not. At times, his prose is poetic. The story of the virtual collapse of huge chunks of Hartford is a story that has played out in major cities across America. This story, extremely well-documented and reported, is uniquely and poignantly told.

This book is great for people interested not only in junior high ministry, but for anyone curious about what to connect with a student. He gives great pratical examples and tons of resources to continue your understanding. If you want to know how to meet students where they are at in a postive way, check this book out.

Wayne Rice encompasses many perspectives and areas of junior high ministry. The physical, social, intellectual, emotional, and faith areas of development within a junior higher were discussed for a more complete understanding of their changing world. It was very informative and the book made some exceedingly good points that should be remembered when working with this age group.

It is a quick and easy read and very informative with the basics needed. I believe that if you want to get a quick grasp with some in depth insights on junior high ministry this would be an excellent choice.

This book is a must read for every citizen. We have a problem with education, but the emphasis is on the primary grades and have almost totally neglected our high schools. Reading literacy is severely limited. The graduation rates are of great concern.

Bob Wise makes an outstanding case for correcting these problem. He identifies the problems with facts and figures and then provides solutions. My only criticism is with his graphics.

Graduation rates in America are plummeting - is there any hope for secondary education? "Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation" written by the president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former West Virginian Governor Bob Wise. Outlining a plan for reforming secondary education in a time where it's more vital than ever thanks to rising career demands asking for high education and skill with technology, it's an invaluable read for any educational administrator. "Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation" is highly recommended for community library education collections.