Customer Reviews

The Hoopster

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is cleverly written, easy to read, serious, fun and exciting, but most importantly inspiring to those kids that need encouragement to find their way and do what is right.

The Hoopster


The Hoopster, by Alan Sitomer, is a compelling book that allows you to see arguably the toughest year of Andre's life. Things look good at first; he has a hot new girlfriend, Gwen, just received a promotion in his job working for a magazine, and is his usual dominant self on the basketball court. Andre's new assignment is to write each month an article about race. Since he is a very bright African-American, his input on the topic becomes meaningful to nearly all the subscribers. One group, however, does not think so highly of his writings. One night when Andre is leaving work, his life forever changes...
The Hoopster is the book for you if you enjoy fast-paced, action-packed, sports thrillers with many unexpected twists. This book is not for a sensitive reader and I would not recommend it to anyone below the middle school level, because the content is not always G or PG. Overall, I think anyone over 12 would truly enjoy this book, and it would open up anyone's eyes about and make the reader think twice before stereotyping another African American.

I take exception to the featured review given here. I am English department chair for one of the largest high schools in Calif., in LA county, inner city. I disagree that Andre becomes predictable or a 'stock character.' We ARE told of the content of his article, in general terms, but that is enough. It is the non-explicit aspect of his 'dark night of the soul' search that captivates and allows the reader to 'fill in the blanks' which spurs the reader to do what too many do not, BE the film director on the screen of their minds. This is one book that gets our kids excited, and almost every one of them has a clear, and varied, view of the article, the struggle, and the speech. As a matter of fact, writing the absent speech is one great assignment that never fails to rouse the students to some of their best writing. So, contrary to your 'official' review, this book is well worth our teens' reading and DISCUSSING with parents, teachers, and each other.

Young readers will most take to the dialogue in Alan Sitomer's THE HOOPSTER because it's realistic, funny, and true to each speaker. The protagonist, Andre, is a thoughtful young man who hopes to be a writer. His friend Shawn is more in it (life, I mean) for the ride. And Cedric, his cousin, is the clown determined to cash in on his race by appearing at a night club and exclusively using black jokes for laughs. Cedric believes it's legit, but Andre finds it an insult.

Where the book is less compelling is with the article Andre writes. Here we veer into TV make-believe, where a big magazine boss would suddenly ask his young black intern to write a feature article on racism, where the article (we see little of it) would be so good that it wins an award from an international journalism organization, and where Andre becomes the target of hate groups because of all of this. The ending compounds matters (I won't give it away, but it would make the book worthy of being a Hallmark Classic on Turner TV).

That said, I think teenagers would forgive that due to the action and the humor. Teachers buying the book for classroom libraries should read it first as some of the banter is more adult (high school) than not (middle school). To the book's credit, basketball plays a role but is not the exclusive focus. It has a message to make and it makes it. Overall, an admirable freshman outing for Sitomer.

This book has got to be the best book I've ever read, I couldn't stop I read it in 6 hours continously! This is amazing for me because I'm usually the guy who never reads anything. I'm sure this book is a best buy and I can't wait for the second book to come out!!! For all you kids like me, pick up Hoopster today!

The book i read was 'The Hoopster" by Alan Lawrence Sitomer. My book was about a young African Amercin man named Andre. Andre is really good at basketball, maybe even good enough to play proffesional ball. His nickname is the Hoopster. His long life dream is to become a magazine writer. He is a vary talented writer but no one knew it yet. He worked at a magazine editorial, but he was just an errand boy for the writers. Until one day someone had seen an artical that he wrote just for fun and thought he could be good enough to write an article for them, so they offered him an oppertunity to write about racism. The article was spectacular. but not everyone liked it. A man kept herassing Andre, telling him to stop writing or else they would hurt him. Andre didn't listen so one day after work he was walking to his car and a van pulled up next to him. A group of white men came out and beat him, they also kept crushing his hand in a car door. i liked this book because it was about basketball, it also showed that racism is bad and still around. And you shouldn't let people bring you down.

I don't like reading books and this book I love.

The book is a modern day story of struggle, moral conflict and the strong bonds of friendship that people of all ages can relate to, especially highschool students.
I think Mr. Sitomer's book is one in a wonderful and fresh new breed of writers and I look forward to his next work.

This book has all the elements that make a novel worth reading. It has humor, (Cedric is hilarious) it has tragedy, suspense and most of all it sends a clear message about a very serious issue, but it makes it interesting to read. It is really an insight to teenage life and best of all it is really easy and fun to read!
This book is really a 'Slam Dunk' on teenage novels, Check It Out!

A page turner right from the start. I enjoyed reading it from the beginning to the end. I am left to wonder what would Andre be doing now and where would his career lead him after high school...