The Moves Make the Man

This Newbery Honor Book has appeared on many lists of best books for young adults and continues to be enjoyed by teens. Jerome Foxworthy and Bix Rivers are outsiders in the seventh grade. Jerome is the first (and only) black to integrate the school, and Bix has big troubles at home with a mentally ill mother and a stepfather who ignores him. The unlikely friendship of the two teens centers on the basketball court as Jerome teaches moves to Bix. James's performance differentiates each character, successfully capturing the rhythm of Southern speech patterns and dialects. This complex, sophisticated plot also contains a lot about the technical aspects of basketball. James rises to the challenge of balancing the personal stories of the two boys with the finer points of the sport. While it might take one or more rereadings to understand the story, this recording goes a long way to making it more accessible to young adults. S.S.R. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine