For the Love of the Game: Michael Jordan and Me - Hardcover

Greenfield, Eloise

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060272988 ISBN 13: 9780060272982

Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books, 1997

Synopsis

Two children discover the importance of determination and find inspiration in the life of Michael Jordan

About this title

About the Author:

Eloise Greenfield is a poet and the author of over thirty books for children, including Africa Dream, a winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, and Honey, I Love. She lives in Washington, D.C.

From Publishers Weekly:

Michael Jordan's grace on the basketball court and understated salesmanship as a spokesperson for everything from athletic shoes to hot dogs has inspired a generation of kids who want to "be like Mike." In their latest collaboration, Greenfield and Gilchrist (Night on Neighborhood Street) try to harness Jordan's motivational abilities as a way of inspiring their readers to persevere in their own goals; however, author and artist achieve uneven results at best. Greenfield's metaphor-laden verse first describes Jordan on the court, then likens a child's important decisions in "the game of life" to the ones the athlete makes in play ("I take my stance/ I make my move"). A preponderance of eagle images in the illustrations and several creepy scenes of trees with faces and ghostly "doomsayers" unfortunately amplify the text's melodramatic tone. Though Jordan is arguably the best-known sports personality in decades, this supposed tribute assumes much-it barely includes any biographical data (save for "From North Carolina,/ at guard, six-six,/ Mi--chael Jordan!") and fails to mention Jordan's accomplishments or even his affiliation with the world champion Chicago Bulls; there's little here to hook his fans. The theme of boosting self-esteem and self-confidence may be well-intentioned, but the execution is wide of the mark. All ages.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0060272988
• ISBN 13: 9780060272982
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Gilchrist Jan Spivey