The Outside Shot [Paperback]

Walter Dean Myers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1986

When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem for a basketball scholarship to a midwestern college, he know he must keep his head straight and his record clean. That's the only way he'll have a chance of making it to the pros someday.



But his street smarts haven't prepared him for the pressures of tough classes, high-stakes college ball, and the temptation to fix games for local gamblers. Everyone plays by a whole new set of rules -- including Sherry, who's determined to be a track star. Her independence attracts Lonnie, but their on-again, off-again relationship is driving him crazy.



Lonnie has one year to learn how to make it as a "college man." It's his outside shot at a bright future. Does he have what it takes?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem for a basketball scholarship to a midwestern college, he know he must keep his head straight and his record clean. That's the only way he'll have a chance of making it to the pros someday.

But his street smarts haven't prepared him for the pressures of tough classes, high-stakes college ball, and the temptation to fix games for local gamblers. Everyone plays by a whole new set of rules -- including Sherry, who's determined to be a track star. Her independence attracts Lonnie, but their on-again, off-again relationship is driving him crazy.

Lonnie has one year to learn how to make it as a "college man." It's his outside shot at a bright future. Does he have what it takes?

From the Inside Flap

When Lonnie Jackson leaves Harlem for a basketball scholarship to a midwestern college, he know he must keep his head straight and his record clean. That's the only way he'll have a chance of making it to the pros someday.



But his street smarts haven't prepared him for the pressures of tough classes, high-stakes college ball, and the temptation to fix games for local gamblers. Everyone plays by a whole new set of rules -- including Sherry, who's determined to be a track star. Her independence attracts Lonnie, but their on-again, off-again relationship is driving him crazy.



Lonnie has one year to learn how to make it as a "college man." It's his outside shot at a bright future. Does he have what it takes?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf; Reprint edition (December 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440967848
• ISBN-13: 978-0440967842
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #229,911 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #51 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Basketball
  • #94 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Teens > School & Sports > Fiction

More About the Author

Walter Dean Myers is a New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author who has garnered much respect and admiration for his fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for young people. Winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award, he is considered one of the preeminent writers for children. He lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with his family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good book!, March 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Outside Shot (Paperback)

I think that books are often given five stars on this site, but this one deserves it! I read this book for a book report and found it very interesting. Lonnie Jackson, a black boy from Harlem, is in college at Montclare for a basketball scholarship. While he's there, he works at the university hospital with a boy named Eddie, and meets a girl he likes named Sherry. Sherry is going to be a track star. While he's working with the basketball team, he starts to hate his coaches. Then, he gets suspended from the team for back talk. He gets an idea to go to an Italian team try out to watch. After those try outs, his coach Ray kills himself because he knew he wouldn't make it. Lonnie thinks that could have been him. A local gambler, the FatMan has Lonnie try to beat the spread to a basketball game by a lot. Montclare runs up the score and people are questioning Lonnie about fixing games. (And you would have to read the rest of the book to find out what happens) I think that Lonnie was a good character and liked the book because I liked Lonnie. I also like basketball and other sports. I also liked how Lonnie talked like he came from Harlem

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Outside Shot By Walter Dean Myers, October 4, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Outside Shot (Paperback)

The Outside Shot is a type of book that makes you want to read it more and more as you get further into the book. When you put the book down you feel like picking it back up. The Outside Shot is about a "cat" named Lonnie. He is one of the few African-Americans going to Montclare College on a basketball scholarship. He is from Harlem, New York. The college is pretty small but it has a lot to offer. Montclare could help Lonnie get into the pro's. When he arrives to college he realizes that the work is harder where as before he could easily pull of B's. This book has some good obstacles and conflicts to over come and has a variety of ways to entertain the reader.
On top of the new college, work, basketball team, Lonnie was interested in a girl named Sherry. Sherry wanted to become a track star. The two of them had a weird relationship. They went out and then broke up and did this again. This annoyed Lonnie and made him confused. Since he was from Harlem he kind of had some of his slang. This was shown when Lonnie would see Sherry and say something like hey baby. Sometime Lonnie would see her with other people and would say something to act cool as he walked by.
Overall this book gets five out of five stars from me. Do yourself a favor and read this book and see if Lonnie makes it through college, the pro's, and Sherry. If you need an interesting book that is entertaining this would have to be the book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Editorial Review, May 27, 2005

By 

Rajan "Rajan" (Glenn Ellyn, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Outside Shot (Paperback)

Ages 12 and up. The book The Outside Shot written by Walter Dean Myers is mostly about a boy named Lonnie heading off to play basketball for a mid-western college called Montclare. When going off to college Lonnie has to fit in with the others he is going to be living with. Lonnie has a scholarship for playing basketball, but Lonnie Jackson does not have the street smarts ne needs to pass those tough classes of his. He does not want his scholarship to go to waste, so he gives it all he`s got. While in class Lonnie meets an attractive girl named Sherry. Sherry, who in an athlete determined to be a track star.She keeps Lonnie in shape by telling him to give it all his best, and to try hard when it comes to his classes. Sherry`s independence attracts Lonnie,they have an on and off relationship that drives Lonnie crazy.The moral or the theme of the book "The Outside Shot" is that you can help others and at the same time you can achieve your dream.This works for Lonnie.I like that the book has Lonnie taking things easy and how he tries really hard to be the best basketball player that he really is.He does not get angry when things get bad,he just steps up his game, and shows others that he is ready to be on the basketball court.Also succeed off of it as well.