Determination

Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream

Written by: Deloris Jordan & Roslyn M. Jordan

Illustrated by: Kadir Nelson

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2003

32 pages

NonFiction Book

This story was written by Michael Jordan’s mother where she tells the story of Michael’s childhood. He loved to go with his brothers on Saturdays to play basketball but wasn’t the best player because he wasn’t very tall.  This really upset him although it didn’t upset his brothers or their friends. One day he goes to his mom and asks her how he can grow taller with which she answers “a prayer and a sprinkle of salt in his shoes”. After a few months of not growing taller, Michael starts to feel sad again. Then his dad reminds him that he just needs to believe in himself. 

Will Michael start to believe in himself? 

Can he have enough determination to be a good basketball player one day?

The illustrations are vibrant paintings that are very interesting to look at as you turn each page.

My content area would be Social Studies and I would use it for second grade. 

I would use it as a read aloud tool to teach the children life lessons of believing in yourself and having determination to do something that you set your mind to do.

We would have a discussion on what each child would like to be when they grow older and what they think they will need to do to get there.