Coach Carter

by Jasmine Jones

When former Richmond High School basketball legend Ken Carter agrees to take over his alma mater's floundering team, he has the players sign a contract that demands good grades, perfect class attendance, and suits on game days. With Coach Carter at the helm, the Oilers' record soon stands at 12 and 0. But when the coach learns that some members of his team are cutting class and failing academically, he locks them out of the gym, incurring the wrath of the players, the school, and the community. Coach Carter's determination to adhere to his convictions puts his philosophy and his players' trust to the ultimate test.

Genres: Sports, Young Adult

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2004

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for reluctant readers. The topic is engaging. The characters are likeable - though not well-developed. Some offensive language for the tender-hearted.

[Jhoana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book a 4 star rating because it was a okay book.

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was heart-warming, i honestly loved this book, because coach carter has a new method to get along with the basket players

[Perry Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was really good.I like this book because there is a lot of vocabulary that i didn't know but now i know the words.

[Hunter Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the book was very interesting because the setting is in a really rough environment but these kids push through and even become one of the best basketball teams out there. This coach is like making sure these kids that are growing up in a bad neighborhood get to college and hes doing whatever he can to help them. One of my favorite parts is when the team lost the final game it was so close and suspenseful and really got you to feel like you were there. The main reason I liked this scene is because after there done they figure out there a team and it will always be like that. Its very touching because so many relationships and dramatic good writing and the so much suspense I didn't want to stop reading. When there playing basketball you learn alot about how the characters feel and what there going through. Its such a good book I abhor reading but this book kinda changed my mind. They also used third person and gave more in depth about all the characters. There is a relationship and they had a baby but they were sixteen and didn't have money so they broke up. Kyra decided to abort the baby. This was so touching because they got back together in the end of the story and kenyon went to college for his coach pulled him through school

[Dylan Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very good, it tells the story of a highschool basketball team from Richmond, California. They start the season off with a new coach named Ken Carter who acts as a basketball coach but also as a father figure which is one reason I really liked this book. Also, he would hold his players to standards in school so like when the team wasn't passing their classes he would lock up the gym. I could relate to this book because it was about life as a student athlete and it also was very entertaining and inspiring to me because these kids struggled with their everyday lifes but through basketball and having another family(the team) they were able to turn their lifes around. I would definetely recommend this book, it is based on a true story and there is also a movie too. This book is heart warming and I don't see how anyone could not like it.

[sohta · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a basketball lover and player, this book will push you to become a better human being and a better leader. You can learn respect, feeling, awareness of your surroundings. When you finish reading this book you will see the world differently. I believe you will start taking your education, sports, action seriously and give better respect to everything that you didn't give before. I don't think everyone will agree with me but I think "Coach Carter" has all the importance as a book. I will highly recommend this book to everyone. This book will make you think about the importance of any chance you get.

[Xavier Hill]

Once I seen this book on the shelf and picked it up, I figured this was going to be a book I liked .To make it better the author picked a very good cover. It showed me that I would have a lot to relate to in this novel.
The book is basically about a small city basketball team that wasn’t doing so good until coach carter returns to the school and begins coaching again. While the catchy part about the book is that the carter isn’t really a normal coach. It’s not all about winning with him; it’s more than just a game to him. He grooms the men like they were his sons. But the players have a lot to deal with. Starting from very big dilemmas in school. To dealing with even bigger problems out of school. So the coach has the challenges to have to straighten out the players without the town getting upset with him, and also the players.
I enjoyed reading this book because it seems to have a lot of things to relate to. Also, I like how the author didn’t just make it as if the players didn’t have an outside life and wasn’t just at school. It gave you the chance to actually relate to the players and know why they did the things they did. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys really good non-fiction based books. The story has an amazing Plot and story line. I believe anyone that would read this would enjoy It.!!

[Timothy Simmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that coach carter was a very serious book about how a basketball team of young teens live in Richmond Virginia. They where very childish and un mature but coach carter teaches them to become respectful young men that he knows they can be even though they live in a bad neighborhood. This book had me on the edge of my seat because it was jut so interesting and suspenseful. They wen on a twelve game winning streak and just because they didn't do there wok when coach carter specifically said to. I can tell that coach carter takes his rules very serious. h book also has a variety of everything romance action emotion intensity. All in all I thought that coach carter a great book.

[Andrea Chavez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coach Carter by Jasmine Jones was a very good book. Coach Carter was an amazing coach, he was always helping the students and he made them get good grades to play again. He was always supporting the team and the boys. I like books that have morals and this one teached me that if I work harder I can accomplish all my goals. I hope to see the movie someday to see if it’s as good as the book. I think Jasmine put effort on this book and this book is worth reading.

[Amy_Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

What i like about this book is that there are a lot of intense words in this book.I like the action in this story/movie.My favorite character in the book it have to Kyra because i think she has a lot of things going on in her life with Kenyon.When Kyra said that she was going to have a baby,then when she told Kenyon,he freaked out.Kenyon doesn't want the baby,but they don't know what to do with the baby.

[Brindan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i thought it was good. in the end Richmond didn't win the game against ST. Francis like all of the dumb movie who let the when at the end of the game and the story was good cruz gave up doing drugs and being in gangs

[Ajaniece · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very good it taught me a
lot of life problems and how to get out of prblems

[Dalila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book but it had a lot of cursing in it. The plot was really good.

[Itzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really really liked this book it was easy to read and it was exciting i just loved it!

[Aileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how it was realistic but at the same time it didn't seem so real, and i really liked that because i don't really like reading realistic books. I liked how it has suspense.

[Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book and it teaches you about lifeskills and basketball.

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very inspiring cause it teaches us that no matter how hard it is you can also succed. It is a very good book to read so i recommend the book.

[Daisy Alavez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a very interesting book. It has some good quotes that could help in life. I think that that me and the class all enjoyed it.

[Tam Dao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coach Carter is a fantastic book, you'll enjoy. The story line is simple, and Coach Carter teaches these boys to become better than what they are right now.

[Mohamed · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think coach carter is a good book.But its not good enough for me but the movie is better to me.

[Haley Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was amazing and it was fun to read.

[Emma]

Coach Carter has intriguing characters and an original story-line.

[Danielbernabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

i thougt it was a good book

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the book and how the story went.

[Braydon Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. Author Background- Her name is Jasmine Jones and she was always really creative and starting writing books at a very young age.

2. Literary Time Period- This book took place in the late 90's and in a place where crime was heavy and a bad time period to be living in that neighborhood.

3. Setting- The setting of this story is early 2000's in Richmond California, which was a very hard place to grow up and live.

4. Characters- Coach Ken Carter, Jason Lyle, Timo Cruz, Damian Carter, Kenyon Stone, Worm, Junior Battle

5. Theme- The theme of this story is to always do what you know is right and don't let anyone alter your opinion of what you think is right or wrong.

6. Plot Summary- Ken Carter goes back to his old high school to be the new basketball coach. He uses tough discipline and high academic expectations to get this basketball team of thugs, on a win streak. When the players grades start to suffer, he puts a lock on the gym and demands that they get their grades up before they can play basketball. He is highly criticised by players and their parents but he sticks to what he knows is right.

7. Literary Devices-

8. Memorable Quote- "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberate others.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is based on the movie of the actual Coach Carter. If you don't know the movie- go watch it. I started the year reading this aloud to my freshmen, and it was perfect. Coach helped me set the tone in my classroom, and when his team made terrible choices and let him down, my kids were making connections to their antics with zero commentary from me. It was far more foundational and influential than I had imagined.

[Oscar Lilley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really good movie. This book was based on the movie. It seems like it would not have been hard to write then, but apparently it was. For a 160 page book I would have thought somebody would have bothered to edit it first before publishing but who am I to say.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever wonder what affect a person has on others? In this story, a basketball coach changes the lives of a group of boys. The story is engaging and shows that even in the worst of circumstances there is hope if the best is expected. I enjoyed the book.

[Aldrin]

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