Strong to the Hoop — John Coy

When James is finally allowed to play basketball on the main court with the older boys, he has to prove he can hold his own. It's Skins against Shirts, and James is guarding Marcus, the biggest Shirt of them all. Marcus is all muscle, but James has skill and determination on his side. In the end, there's much more than the game point riding on James's last shot. John Coy's energetic prose captures the intensity and emotion of the competition, while Leslie Jean-Bart's photo collages convey the gritty pace of the game.