Blog #25 Salt in His Shoes

Blog #25

Salt in His Shoes
By Deloris Jordan with Roslyn M. Jordan
Illustrated by Kadar Nelson
Scholastic Inc.
2000
30 pages

Nonfiction

                I chose this book because it was nonfiction, and I found it interesting and captivating. This is the story of a young boy who loves to play basketball with his older brothers when he gets the opportunity. Some days he sits on the bench and watches, but other days he gets to play when someone is not there. Because he is younger, the little boy is bullied by taller and bigger players on the other team. One day the boy decides to stay at home and practice until he gets taller. He doesn’t get taller, but he does get better. You’ll have to read the story to find out who the boy is!

                The detailed illustrations are rendered in oils. They are so detailed that they make the reader feel as though they are watching a television show. The colors are rich and bold with black outlining the characters and objects in the story. The style of the book is formal because the text in block style and does not interact with the pictures. The whole book is done in a double-page spread with the pictures painting the story in front of the reader’s eyes. 

                This would be an appropriate book for middle to upper elementary students. A way to use this book in the class room would be through a discussion of unexpected endings. The teacher could also use this book to practice prediction. Another way to use this book in the classroom would be as a character education lesson of perseverance and hard work.