Slump

D-Bow High School Hoops #2

by Kevin Waltman

"Waltman's series opener [ Next ] (first of a planned four) features plenty of basketball action fueled by hoops slang that will set basketball-mad readers right onto the court. . . . The author avoids slam-dunk answers, leaving readers poised for the next book. Like Derrick, this series is off to a promising high school career."— Kirkus Reviews Things were supposed to change for sophomore year. Things were supposed to be—I don't know— easier somehow. At least with Jasmine. Instead it's more of a struggle than ever. At least last year when she was with Nick Starks I knew where I stood. Derrick Bowen's sophomore year is a grind. He's been looking forward to the basketball season all summer, but his girlfriend Jasmine leaves him for putting too much focus on basketball. The promise his Marion East basketball team showed at the end of last season isn't materializing. And the sweet jumper D-Bow worked on all summer just isn't falling. When Derrick's father is severely injured in a car crash, Derrick is faced with a new reality where basketball can't be his only priority. Kevin Waltman teaches creative writing at the University of Alabama. He lives in Coker, Alabama, with his family. Slump is the second book in his D-Bow High School Hoops series.

Genres: Sports, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Basketball

216 pages, Hardcover

First published September 22, 2014

About the author

Kevin Waltman was born in Bedford, Pennsylvania, and spent his teens and twenties in Indiana--time spent mostly around basketball courts and political events. He moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 2001 to get his MFA in fiction at The University of Alabama. There, he met his wife, Jessica Kidd. He now lives in Coker, Alabama, with Jessica, their daughter Calla, and their dog Henry. He teaches. He writes. He gardens. He cuts kudzu from their woods.

He is the author of four y.a. novels. The first two are Nowhere Fast and Learning the Game. The two most recent--Next and Slump--are the first two parts of a four-part series from Cinco Puntos Press. The third in the series, Pull, will be out in late 2015.

You can see more about Kevin, or find teaching guides to some of his work, at kevinwaltman.com..

Reviews

[Josmeer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Derrick is now a sophomore in high school. Derrick has a good feeling about this year season and they think that they have a great chance of knocking off Hamilton Academy this year at regionals. Derrick is now starting for the varsity team. Everything was going good at first until one of the starter has a bad ankle sprain. Derrick also has a girlfriend Jasmine who seems not to see eye to eye and Derrick makes a remark which breaks them up. Derrick in this story has a lot on his mind with his dad having a seizure and money begins to be real tight around the house. Uncle kid tries to help the family out but the family is refusing to take money from uncle kid. Derrick thinks it’s his fault and he made the wrong choice by not taking private school offer. Then later on in the story Derrick starts to work even harder on his game and he’s trying to have a positive attitude about things which helps him get through his hard time. I really enjoyed reading this book. This series of story just have like a realistic feel to it that happens to people in everyday life. Hopefully I find out in the next book that he wins a state championship. The author Kevin Waltman has great taste for sports novelties and I think what helps him write these books is because he lived in Indiana and he also played high school hoops. Next book on my list is pull which is book three of the series and I just can’t wait to read it.

[Jose Baca · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like basketball, I feel like you should read book second of a four book series Slump. The book is about a sophomore in high school Derrick Bowen and his journey throughout the year. The book ,in my opinion, is very interesting. Derrick is a top prospect in his state, which happens to be Indiana. Derrick is just a normal high school student and that’s what the author shows him. As this year is especially hard. He’s going through an issue with his family and his friends and girlfriend. He has many things to focus on his personal life, school, and mainly basketball. From being the dominant team last year, this year they start to go into a slump, not just Derrick but his whole team, and they start losing games and that makes them worry about how they’ll end up doing in the tournament. Derrick and his girlfriend break up and one day after a game they had just won, they go to a party to celebrate and Derrick does something with a girl that he ends up regretting. His ex finds out but surprisingly doesn’t get mad about it. Derrick doesn’t let that drama mess with his game, but there’s something else in his life that does. The coaches ask him if he needs anything but he denies it. When the tournament comes around, they do much better than last year but still fall short of their expectations.
If you are looking for a enjoyable book about basketball I would recommend not just reading Slump but reading the rest of the series as well.

[Jeremy Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read “Slump” and I found it quite interesting. Waltman does a fantastic job going in depth with the characters and what teenagers in high school go through in modern time. Since I didn’t read the prequel Next, it was confusing at first. As I tagged along and made it through the climax, I realized this book is well organized. I am wondering about reading the prequel Next to get a better understanding of the beginning. What made me interested in this book is the way Waltman elaborated on how the characters overcame the bad things that are constantly happening.
I wouldn’t recommend reading this book for a big project because it takes too long to read. It would be a solid bedtime reading, even when you don’t have other things to do. I found many people don’t use their time wisely in today’s society. Many are either wasting their time on games or killing time doing stuff that isn't as productive. Waltman created great imagery when describing the basketball games that are important throughout the story This book would actually persuade you and learn about life can be one thing that you have to focus on. Derrick the main character had many problems while he is in high school during his sophomore year. I like how Derrick always tries his best to go throw situations one by one that can happen in real life. As a sophomore, he is experiencing a constant of losing in basketball, family financial problem, and breaking up with his girlfriend. He manages to get two of the problems solve and had to give up on one. Although since the book is about high basketball and girls. It may seem boring but it is interesting how he manages to keep thing well organized. I would recommend this book to my age and older because some will never understand the hardship that the character had been through could be in reality.

[Kaleil Benally · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Slump," the captivating sequel to "Next" in Kevin Waltman's "D-Bow High School Hoops" series, this book offers an engaging and memorable life that happens during high school years. The novel focuses on Derrick Bowen also known as D-Bow, who is a talented sophomore point guard at Marion East High School. He shows realistic dialogue and understanding of the teenage mind, he also shows more of his love for the game of basketball and how it will take more leadership to understand the story of his life in high school. The author creates a story that evolves around both young and adult readers who remember their own lives in their high school years.

During the book “Slump”, D-Bow shows great work and how he lives up to his expectations during basketball season his freshman year and how impressive his freshman season was. As D-Bow navigates through the challenges of maintaining his spot on the varsity team, he faces many challenges both on and off the court. Derrick faced struggles with self-doubt and his learning for personal growth to maintain his spot on the varsity team. The relationships with his family and friends added more layers of confidence to his story of being a basketball star and how important his supporters helped him to overcome his challenges in life. I've faced numerous challenges during my basketball seasons. The pressure to perform, the physical demands, and the struggles are all too familiar to me as well. It is also hard balancing sports with a romantic relationship and It's tough because maintaining a relationship requires time and effort. If you don't make time for your girlfriend, she might drift away and find someone who does.

Derrick's character is outstanding and how much dialogue has been put into these themes on the basketball court like the squeak of the sneakers, the swoosh of the net, and many more of the little things. If I were to make a basketball book, I would add all the different details that you

here during a game of basketball like D-Bow. The basketball themes are full of excitement, intensity, and reflection on how basketball is a true sport to be in. However, some of the themes are a bit lacking in the social issues of what a true athlete's identity affects upon when playing the game of basketball.

Derrick’s well-known highlight in the book was picturing a young man fighting to stay in a position where you want no one to take from him. This expresses the feeling that when I was a kid there was always a spot, I wanted to take but there was one spot I wanted to get and I proved everyone wrong that, that was my spot to keep. Derrick's interactions with his coaches are unique because they show his ups and downs when talking with them. D-Bow shows how he evolves sports and the challenges that he faces through his sophomore year, and he evolves these around his girlfriend Jasmine. This shows the struggles that you might had when you were in high school.

This shows more of our high school years showcasing there are many ups and downs in life that we can’t take away from us and it just happens. The dialogue makes them feel like there in a real situation that they will never take back and you will always regret it in your life, and it also shows the young teenage life they had when growing up.

Overall, “Slump” is so powerful, that you can see it from another perspective from a sports athlete that shows his journey with his heart and dedication. The author created this story not only to entertain his audience but also, he shows how important life could be. I think for me it’s a must-read book I highly recommend you read this even if you’re in sports, if you’re an adult, and anyone that just loves the game of basketball. If you want to follow in the footsteps that D-Bow has taken, please do so this would change your high school career and maybe you want to follow him to the last buzzer of his last high school basketball game.

[Mason Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slump by Kevin Waltman is a book about Derrick Bowen that is a very good basketball player, and he wants his team to go to state. Derrick is coming into the season thinking it is going to be a great season as he did during his freshmen year of basketball. Right at the beginning of the season, the season didn’t start off the way Derrick wanted the season to start off he couldn’t get his shots to fall, and they didn’t win the games that should have. Derrick also had a girl friend named jasmine, she was a “goodie” child and didn’t want to do anything with Derrick and that bothered Derrick because all his friends would talk about when they would hang out with their girlfriend. Jasmine was almost teasing Derrick because they would be hanging out and then she would say she had to go do something to get out of the situation then Derrick would just be there wondering what to do. Then after of a couple of games Jasmine breaks up with Derrick because after hanging out the one-time Derrick brought up jasmines ex-boyfriend and she wouldn’t talk to derrick anymore and they broke up so that really messed Derrick up and that didn’t help the slump that he was in. while that was happening, he lost his best friend also because he was always with his girlfriend. So, all of Derricks people that he talked to were gone so Derricks mind was not where it was supposed to be. Derrick’s slump would continue, and they would lose the games they should lose and barely win some games. Then during school one day he was called down to the office and while down there he found out that his dad was in a bad car accident and he had to go the hospital. While at the hospital he couldn’t stand to see he dad in a condition like that. That made the family fall apart more than what it was because his dad wasn’t home, and his mom was at the hospital most of the time. Once his dad came home, he was still not able to do anything, and he would just sit on the couch and while Derrick had games no one would come and watch for Derrick. They have the biggest game of the season coming up and Derrick is hoping that he can get out of his slump and win the game to take the team to state.

[Joe Barron · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Slump”, written by author Kevin Waltman, goes into depth on what an average teenager goes through in their high school career. Some of the things that happen to the main character, Derrick Bowen, hopefully does not happen to each teenager. But the way he tries to overcome the bad things happening definitely does. He goes through breakups, family issues, money problems and school conflicts.
Derrick Bowen is now a sophomore in his 4 year career at Marion East High School right on the outskirts of Indianapolis. He starts off the book in his offseason with his new girlfriend and still practicing basketball. He makes a mistake with his girlfriend and they break up, typical high school relationship. But what makes it more realistic, Derrick tries to find a new girl just to do sexual things with. This ends up conflicting with his time with basketball right before the season starts. Once the season does start, the team gets off to a really good start, winning 7 in a row to start the season. But, Derrick is only averaging 12 points per game, compared to 21 PPG in his freshman year. Meanwhile, his dad gets into a severe car accident, causing even more stress on him. This affects his performance not only on the court, but in the classroom too. At home the family is struggling with money issues because his father refused to let anyone else work, he wanted to be the one that provided the money. So, throughout the whole book you can see on how Derrick deals with his problems like a regular teenager... he keeps his feelings bottled up. Towards the end of the book, before the State Championship, Derrick finally expresses everything that he had been feeling to his father while he’s on his hospital bed, creating a very dramatic moment for the book. All in all, I would recommend this book to anybody of any age, especially someone older, because nobody truly knows what people are going through if they keep their feelings bottled up.

[Ben Salazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slump is the second book of the four part series made by Kevin Waltman. In the first book of the series it was an introduction, of a High school kid named Derrick Bowen also known as D - Bow. The book explains how he loves basketball, and how he is having problems with the team to get are playing time. In Slump it further, explains his problems wether it be girl problems, basketball problems or just regular high school problems. What I liked about the book is the character of him being, a basketball player with many problems I feel like it is very relatable because it is something I have gone through so I love that this book is relatable. What I dislike about this book is how it doesn’t really get straight to the point. It can sometimes drag on for many pages when it could have easily be detailed and understood in one page. Even with that minor dislike I still would reccomend this book for any student athlete because it can be relatable and it is a easy book to read and to keep coming back too.

[Vincent Prutznal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slump by Kevin Waltman is a story about a sophmore named Derrick that goes through the horrific car crash accident which changes his personality drastically. Derrick tries to play basketball to clear his mind even when dealing with the fear of losing his dad. Kevin also deals with his stress quite often and even enough to be rude to his own mother. Derrick goes through many hardships like the fear of losing his basketball games or even just losing more people in his life like his girlfriend jasmine. Derrick's personality changes throughout the book because he comes to realise how much he is really grateful in the end.

[Levi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy the tense game of basketball and the high school drama, then I feel like this is a perfect book for you. After going a long way in the postseason of his freshman basketball season, Derrick Bowen is ready to get after it again with his teammates and hopes to go further this year in his sophomore season. Derrick knows that he is going to make the team, no doubt when you are one of the top high school ball players in the state. There are many ups and downs in this book from his girlfriend to losing a close game that maybe shouldn’t have been lost. I could connect with Derrick on a lot of things because I am in high school just like the character in the book. The author does a really great job of explaining the struggles of being a student-athlete. Will Derrick and his team be able to get out of their “Slump” of losing games this year?

[Mason Bogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just begun reading thing book but so far it is a great book for many different reasons, it is an easy read especially for teenagers. It draws the reader in through sports and real life problems. This book is about Derrick who is struggling with Varsity basketball and Jasmine (girlfriend). He is finding his way to becoming an NBA pro and making it through Highschool in one piece.

[Peter Lafon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a fun sports book that funny and romantic. With him trying to balance everything in his life. Even if you want to learn some basketball this is a good book

[Gus · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book! it is realistic with some comedy and some drama, if you like basketball you will love this book, it will have you wanting to lace up after reading.

[Tallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like reading books like these since I can connect them to my life in reality, so reading this as a basketball player made it super exciting all the way through

[Chase Bastin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the second in a series of three. This book is about a sophomore in highschool Derrick Bowen otherwise know as D-Bow. He's the star point guard for Marion East High School, and he just came off a hard loss last season in the semi-finals and he's hungry for the championship this year. Like every high school student he has his problems with girls and grinds out his basketball season. As his season is not going as expected he realizes the team and him are in a slump and can't get a win. The main characters are Derrick, Uncle Kid, his mom, dad, Jayson, Jasmine, Daniella, Wes, Moose, and Devin. Derrick, Moose, and Devin are the 3 best players on the team and they all play ball together. Derrick's dad is in a serious car accident where he can't walk for several weeks and misses almost all of Derricks games. His mom is there to take of his dad, and to encourage Derrick that the season will pan out in his favor. Uncle Kid is who taught him to play ball as he had played for the same coach Derrick plays for, he is also there for encouragement throughout the book. Jayson is Derricks little brother and is always into Derricks games telling him what he could've done differently and is a pest to Derrick at some times. Wes is his best friend and has been for several years, as Wes gets his heart broken, Derrick sees Wes change into someone he doesn't know. Daniella and Jasmine are the 2 girls he has trouble with, Jasmine is his girlfriend in the beginning but when he says the wrong words jasmine leaves him. He then makes the mistake of going to a party and meeting Daniella where he uses her for the following weeks. Derrick faced several problems including his dad being in a car wreck, his sophomore going into a slump, and also a lot of girl problems. He did have a very important adventure, that was going to the state tournament and in the quarter-finals beating the team that put him and his team out the year before. Obviously my favorite character is Derrick because he is a hooper.

The only way to really connect to a character is with Derrick, Moose, or Devin. Only because i used to play ball and that's the only real connection to the book i had.

I really loved this book, i've always like sports books and this series has to be one of my favorites of all time. My favorite part of this book is when they beat Hamilton Academy in the quarter-finals off a last second three shot by Devin. It was such a hype moment for them. The author always did a good job of showing the relationships between the characters. It's so cool to know so much about a person and their friendships.

Yes, i would recommend this book to any sports lover or who is interested in basketball specifically. Obviously read the prequel to this so that this story makes more sense but it a really great read. I will also recommend after reading this to read the sequel Pull as that is what i'll be reading next.

[Matt Jackson]

Kevin Waltman wrote Slump to persuade the readers about how life can just be all for one thing. He tells readers that even though it is good to focused and dedicated yourself to things because you have a passion for it, that doesn't mean you should block out the important things in life like; friends and family. The author wrote this story where Derrick has to decide what he will do when his life is turning in the worst of directions. In this situation Derrick had to push away from being so dedicated to basketball to deal with his father's injury and get back his girlfriend Jasmine, even though he's finally getting his spot on the basketball team.
The theme of Slump is for people to know not to put off important people and things like family, friends, work, anything just because you have a passion for something. There is nothing wrong with having hobbies and enjoying different things but make sure you don't push the real things that matter most just for your hobbies. In the story Derrick is so passionate about basketball he ends up loosing his girlfriend. Also his father is involved in a car accident and he needs to make sure he puts his father before anything even though basketball is his love.
This novel starts off in third person then switches to first person. I like how the author did this because for people who have not read the first book in the series they can kind of pick up so they are not confused about what is going on. Then once the reader understands the story then it goes to third person and we can feel like we are Derrick and in his situation. The author is very descriptive and sort of made me feel like I was Derrick, a sophomore in high school trying out for a spot starting on varsity, but then we have to deal with a couple of harsh problems and we see how Derrick deals with it and how he handles it.
I really like this book and think a lot of people would like this book, because it is very relatable. I can relate a lot too this book because I am a sophomore who plays basketball just like Derrick. And we can both trying to play varsity basketball. I would recommend this book to all high school students because although it is about basketball, it could work out for a lot of different situations and people need to make sure they aren't pushing away the important things in life. I would probably take out some of the parts between him and his girlfriend so that it is more appropriate for younger kids so that even they could read it, because that isn't the main message from this story. Overall though this is a very good book with a good, positive message for people.

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slump is the second book in a series by author Kevin Waltman. Here is a brief synopsis of the first book. “In Indiana, basketball is the next thing to religion. Especially for inner-city black kids like Derrick Bowen. He's a 6'3" freshman, lightning quick, and he can slam the rock. He wants to start at point guard for Marion High, but senior Nick Starks has that nailed down. Besides, the coach is old school. He thinks D-Bow needs to work on his game, his shot, and his attitude. That means bench time. And that's when Hamilton Academy, the elite school in the suburbs, comes sniffing around. They want D-Bow for the next three years. His mom wants no part of that. But his father needs a job, and Uncle Kid, who is a bitter ex-star at Marion High, has his own plans. Yeah, there's a pretty girl and a best friend in the mix. Plus plenty of basketball action and suspense just like high school boys like to read.” In this sequel Derrick Bowen is back in school and still has his girl Jasmine. Currently he is waiting for the basketball season to start up. This season the hope is that the team will be good and the coach is making sure of it. He is making the team practice hard. Unfortunately, a player gets injured and the team is having trouble connecting and working together. Derrick’s personal situation isn’t doing so great either. His best friend isn’t really there for him and his relationship with Jasmine is on edge due to issues regarding sex. On top of that, his father was in an accident and needs rehabilitation. Of course, this makes his family’s financial situation more stressful. Derrick regrets not having taken the offer to go to a private school where his father could have had a job. But at the end of the day, Derrick knows that with hard work and keeping a positive attitude he can overcome. Author Kevin Waltman has done a great job adding intrigue and realism. The characters definitely fit into the theme of what high school students may or may not do. The relationships regarding sex are intense and perhaps this is a book for young adults over the age of 18. Parents and teachers will have to decide if this is a book for their kids. If they do, then this is an opportunity to open up dialogue regarding school, sports and sex.

[Romeo · Rating 4 out of 5]

So the story "Slump" was the second part to the previous story I read which was called "Next". The story starts off with D-Bow returning to High School next year as a sophomore and he is a starter at point guard. He notices how quicker the pace and more IQ the team has since last year and they are pretty good. But, when the freshman come into practice it reminds D-Bow how he felt when he was a freshman very nervous and just a buck who still had to prove himself to the older guys. One of the kids when they were scrimmaging against the freshman was messing up pretty bad shooting not open looks he couldn't dribble in his other hand and he wasn't making any plays. Now the J.V. knew that kid was going to get it from coach and they were ready but when the coach yelled and screamed at the freshman D-Bow felt like the coach was neglecting him and it reminded him of his freshman year. This is when D-Bow decide that he was going to help this kid out because it was the right thing to do, he also had to learn that if coach went easy on the freshman he would have to be easy n everyone else, but you always remember no one is bigger than the team, that't how they separate from one another and lose. D-Bow helps this freshman and some others during his sophomore year and he grows with them he does this though because he remembers when he was a freshman and he didn't have anyone like himself to help him out and this dramatically helped the team out and they did a very good job winning his sophomore season. This story was a very good it helps young aspiring athletes like me realize how much your team needs you and how you can all come together and help each other succeed and provide. The story also doesn't fade away from the struggles from the story and I thought that was really cool and realistic because I truly believe that "There is always a Calm after the Storm". What is life without trouble and tribulation because this is where we learn to grow as human beings and we prosper this was a key take away from this story and hope anyone who decides to read this book enjoys it.

[Matthew Curra]

I do not recommend the book Slump by Kevin Waltman because the way the book goes all over the place. In the first chapter they put you in a middle of a car ride and just have people start talking randomly and you never really get a strong connection with one single character because you go in and out and you never really get to know what going on right now. I don’t recommend this book mainly because the little connection you get with the characters. I think this could have been a good book if you got to get close to the characters.
The book starts off with him and his girlfriend in a disagreement and then he starts to describe his girlfriend and how they could never do “more” and how she is so responsible. Then they go to basketball and how their best player is injured and not going to return for a while. Then the next major thing is how they are doing in the regular season and they are doing good and they are in the semifinal and they are going against the best team and they beat them in the beginning of the season. Now they found out that that’s was the only and last time they lost. Finally, it was half time and they were being killed against them and then their best player was on the court practicing and he healed so quickly and the moment they saw him they knew they had a chance.
If you like a story that has a lot of different points of view, then you should read this. It has many views and has many things going all at once. But I like books that have a lot of views and things going on but this book was just going every were completely and it wasn’t fun to read at all. I can see people liking this type of book and I usually do too but this one was so undescriptive and not clear with a lot of things.
Overall I don’t recommend this to barely anyone unless they want a book that goes all over the place and I don’t know anyone who like a book like that to this extent.

[Student · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slump is the second book in the basketball series by Kevin Waltman. Derrick Bowen is a sophomore in high school with a passion for basketball. After working all summer on his shot, Derrick thinks he’s ready for the upcoming season, but it just isn’t working for him. His coaches become afraid he might be in a slump, but basketball isn’t the only problem he has to focus on. Derrick faces problems with his new girlfriend Jasmine, his own family when money becomes scarce, and his best friend isn’t the same person anymore. Waltman includes great imagery when describing the basketball games Derrick and his team must play throughout the story. The novel shows the challenges, and point of view of a modern day high school student. This book is intended for young adults who are interested in reading about sports as well as drama dealing with relationships.

[Galaan Omar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because I had read the first book in the series, and how much I love basketball in general. I really enjoy the book because of the determination showed by, now sophomore, Derrick Bowen. In the beginning of the book Derrick cared a lot about his stats, and less about the team as a whole. He acted that way because he was used to scoring a lot of points a game. By the end of the story he got used to his scoring average going down, and took kind of a leading role for the Marion East basketball team. Something that surprised me was when Derrick's father got into some kind of accident (not sure what happened) and he wasn't able to walk for a long time. I'm pretty sure the author wrote this to entertain the reader. It sure worked for me, this was a great book and I would definitely recommend this to other students.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basketballer Derrick Bowen is definitely in a sophomore slump. Despite the team's early promise and the fact that they are winning, Derrick isn't playing very well. He blames his coach and all sorts of other distractions, especially his break-up with his girlfriend and including a girl who is generous with her sexual favors, for the slump. Basketball fans will relish the descriptions of practices and games and the action on the court while others may be caught up in the drama off the court, including Derrick's inability to express his feelings about his father's poor health. Although I liked the book, I grew tired of Derrick's attitude, mistakes, and complaining as well as his inability to realize that just because something is offered doesn't mean that he needs to take it.

[Grant Stadther · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another amazing addition to the D-Bow High School Hoops series by Kevin Waltman. The second book in this series, Slump, tells the story of Derrick's second season at Marion East after not transferring to Hamilton Academy in Next. This book gives great insight on the life of a high school basketball star. I loved how this book showed ups and downs during the season, showing the team's struggles. This book constantly kept me on the edge of my seat, with the amazing storytelling of the happenings on the basketball court. This is another amazing book by Kevin Waltman, and I cannot wait to read the next

[Merry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great follow-up to "Next." I was constantly amazed by Waltman's ability to create scenes in basketball games that continue to read as new and heart-thumping. The best part of the book, hands-down, was Derrick's heart-to-heart with his father at the end of chapter 24. This scene added such a nice emotional balance to all the hormones and the angst Derrick experiences throughout the book. This is a great book for reluctant adolescent male readers, but also for basketball fans and anyone who might want to understand the adolescent male psyche a bit better. Highly recommend.

[Will D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slump by Kevin Waltman was a terrific book. It combines drama with sports with much more! If you love basketball or sports in general this is a book for you. It is tremendously engaging to follow Derrick Bowen in his journey through high school hoops. Go read this book!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basketball, girls, family.

Didn't realize this was a second in a series. Pretty standard teenage fare. Definitely sexually promiscuous. Sped through the basketball sequences.

Okay basketball read. I predict I'll forget I have read this in a few years.

[Jakki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Beyond boring and not well written. However middle school boys may enjoy as the main theme is school basketball and girls. I wouldn't buy it for my nephews though.

[Joey Bryan]

...

When I read the book Next which is the first book in the series, I loved it and I had to read the next book which is Slump. Since this book is a follow up it will have the same purpose that Next had which is entertaining the reader. The point of view is first person because the story is told through Derrick Bowen. This is easy to tell because you know his thoughts at all times but you do not the thoughts of other characters. The book's style was also the same as it was telling the story through a chronological timeline or how it happens throughout the book. Lastly, the audience is a perfect area for my age group. Derrick Bowen is around my age also so it is a very easy to relate to what is going on in his life. The use of these characteristics that make the author's purpose are some of the reasons it is a successful follow up to my new favorite series.

...

The theme, however, is very hard to depict because the purpose of the book is to entertain. But, if you think about the theme being there it is hard to miss. The theme is do the right thing. In this book, Derrick has girl troubles and wants to break up with her but does not want to because he cannot bring himself to do it. After a long talk with his dad which has a quote that says "You're a good kid Derrick, and I know you'll always do the right thing," (202) which makes the theme very clear. This is the push Derrick needs to break up with his girlfriend and make his life better. Derrick also passes on the knowledge to his friend Wes who is also having lady troubles. With the theme coming later in the book it makes everything link together very well in the end.

...

Kevin Waltman uses the same style as his last book. The narrative style is one of my favorite styles in books and I only like to read books with this kind of style. One of the best examples of this style is "We go up to Chicago and clip Lincoln. Then come home and squeeze out a win against Ben Davis" (242). The quote talks about the unimportant games that they have played and puts them in chronological order. These are one of the reasons why I enjoyed the book. The reader can never get confused at where you are in the book. The way Waltman wrote the games going on made you feel like Derrick through it all. This made the style very successful in being very descriptive in important parts and games but when there is not that important he just gives the reader a summary of the event or game. An example of a specific narration could be "Coach stands. We all rise with him. He steps into the center of the locker room and puts his hands out. We all come in and stack out fists" (150). This is right before a big game against Hamilton Academy. With the serious feel to this you want to read more until to see what happens next.

...

Slump was a great follow up to the book Next which was my favorite book. The very beginning of the book solved a cliff hanger that Next ended with. The one problem I had with the book was it was not as intense as Next. It was very similar to it, the feeling of anticipation was not as strong. One reason of this is due to the fact of less happening at one time. Slump only talks about one plot per chapter and focuses on that one plot. If Kevin Waltman could have put the other plot twisted in to create one big problem with more problems coming off opposed to his two problem plot that makes you forget about the other problem. Other than that this was a great book and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.