Salt In His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream (Hardcover)

by Deloris Jordan (Author), Roslyn M. Jordan (Author), Kadir Nelson (Illustrator) "Michael loved to play basketball..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Before basketball star Michael Jordan's name was uttered reverently in households all over the planet, young Michael was just a shrimpy kid trying to play ball with the big boys in the neighborhood. Tired of being teased by the biggest boy on the court, Michael is convinced the only solution is to grow taller. His mama smilingly suggests putting salt in his shoes and saying a prayer every night. His daddy tells young Michael that "Being taller may help you play a little better, but not as much as practice, determination, and giving your best will. Those are the things that make you a real winner." And so they are. At 6-foot-6, Michael may not have grown up to be the tallest player on the court, but he sure did turn out to be one of the best!

As his mother and his sister, Deloris Jordan and Rosalyn Jordan are in a pretty good position to tell us all about what made Michael a star. They create an image of a cozy, loving family life any child would be happy to come home to. Award-winning illustrator Kadir Nelson's oil pictures of the gangly little Michael with hyperlong arms and oversized hands capture the preteen potential as well as his gawky grace. This warm, uplifting story will encourage young readers to chase their dreams with hard work and faith. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly
Michael Jordan's mother and sister team up for an inspirational story about this athlete's earliest on-court efforts. Nelson (Big Jabe) is also a strong player here; he contributes animated art, rendered in a cartoon style that is informal yet polished. In the opening scenario, a bully intimidates young Jordan during a basketball game at a neighborhood park, causing him to flub a pass. Michael tells his older brothers, "I am really sorry, guys. If I were taller that wouldn't have happened." When he asks his mother what will make him grow, she advises him to put salt in his shoes and say a prayer every night. Though he obligesDand continues to practice shooting baskets at homeDhis efforts don't immediately pay off. One day, his father convinces him that, rather than being tall, "practice, determination, and giving your best" are the keys to being "a real winner," and Michael runs off to join his brothers in the park, where he makes the game's winning shot. Though the book ends with a rather facile slam-dunk, the authors offer authoritative insight into this six-foot-six-inch-tall hoopster's boyhood spunk as well as reassurance to young athletes impatient for a growth spurt. Nelson handily balances in-your-face on-court action with more reflective portraits of the player's inner growth. All ages. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689833717
• ISBN-13: 978-0689833717
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #188,747 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #10 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( J ) > Jordan, Michael
  #39 in	Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Basketball > Fiction
  #58 in	Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > Sports & Recreation

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Salt in His Shoes, November 20, 2000

By	Martha Burroughs (Murrysville, PA USA) - See all my reviews

I saw Deloris Jordan and Roslyn Jordan interviewed on one of the morning shows and was anxious to get this book and share it with my second graders. I was not disappointed. I'm always looking for real life role models to tell the kids about and Michael Jordan and his determination to achieve his dream really fit the bill. It had so many elements in it that are important for today's kids...ignoring bullies, looking to your families for support, not giving up, keeping your eye on a dream, knowing what you want in life. I hope that my students remember the lessons taught in this fine story and at least begin to learn what can be achieved.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars salt in his shoes and the salt of the earth, December 9, 2000

By	Diann Gordon "Much Respect" (Carbondale, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I had the privelege of meeting Mrs. Jordan and Roslyn at a recent booksigning in Chicago. To hear both these amazing ladies speak, was inspirational and makes one realize that Michael Jordan's family is also the salt of the earth. Futhermore, in their remarks, they stressed how they are just an ordinary family who happened to raise an extraordinary talent; however, their family was, and continues to be, the source of his strength, determination, and self-confidence. Not only is the story told in "Salt in His Shoes" inspiring to children, it has basic lessons to which a person of any age can relate. The book is wonderfully illustrated, and the text is lively and endearing. How wonderful that Mrs. Jordan and Roslyn shared this family story with us, emphasizing that while Michael was the center of the story, the lessons of the book go beyond Michael Jordan because it is all about family.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aspiration and inspiration, November 18, 2000

By	Jesse (Deerfield, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This is a wonderful story -- and would be even if it weren't about such a star -- about a scrawny little kid who keeps trying and trying and trying, all the while encouraged by his very loving family. I bought it because I loved the jacket and the illustrations -- but am reading it again and again to my little boy because he always asks to hear it. It's inspiring and funny and just a neat book.