Game by Walter Dean Myers

For some students, high school is a time when dreams of sports stardom rise and fall in a dramatic arc.  Some athletes go on to serious collegiate and professional careers; others fade into obscurity before earning their diplomas.  

Walter Dean Myers's Game follows the first-person story of Drew, a high school senior who dreams of playing college basketball on a full scholarship and eventually making it into the NBA.  During his junior year, Drew carried his team through a successful season to a good showing at the state championships.  But as a senior, he is confronted with unanticipated adversity; the arrival of a Czech player who becomes the coach's new darling throws a wrench in Drew's plans to be the standout player.  As the season progresses, Drew confronts his new reality:  he can play like he always has and become a benchwarmer, or he can share the limelight and remain on the court.  The choices that Drew must make to escape the realities of Harlem to reach college stardom are not easy, and the season ends with surprising results for Drew and his teammates.

Drew is a strong narrator for this book, proving himself to be as tough a talker on the outside as he is vulnerable on the inside.  It would be easy for late high school students to relate to Drew's story, as many students strive to get into the best school with the best program, with the best scholarship.  While not every student could relate to Drew's fantasies of athletic success, I think that many students could identify with Drew's fears of being left behind by his closest-held dreams.  The plot of Game might focus somewhat narrowly on the basketball court, but the themes of the book run wider to making the sometimes-scary transition between high school and college.

However, it's possible that some students might be put off by the high level of basketball terminology used throughout Game.  Admittedly, I don't know much about basketball aside from the meanings of "dribble" and "slam dunk"; for students who are readers like myself, and aren't familiar with the dozens of slang terms used on the court, Game could become a tedious read.

If Game were to be used in the classroom, I would recommend it be used in conjunction with high school seniors writing college entrance essays--simply as a counterpoint to the intense focus of the college application process, to encourage dialogue about anxiety and to remind students that the application process will likely work out as they hope it will.  Many students come under an incredible level of stress and scrutiny while applying for college; perhaps reading Game could provide a little bit of levity and distraction that helps these high school juniors and seniors navigate their way toward their hopes for the future.