Slam by Nick Hornby

Hornby, N. (2007). Slam. New York: Putnam Juvenile.
ISBN 0399250484
ISBN-13 9780399250484
309 pgs
Format: Book
Genre: Contemporary life
Classification: Fiction
Age level: Grades 9-12

Reader's annotation
Fifteen-year-old Sam struggles to not repeat the mistakes of his young single parents as he begins a passionate relationship with a beautiful girl named Alicia in this British coming-of-age novel.

Summary
Fifteen-year-old Sam is being raised in Islington, London by his thirty-two-year-old single mother. He’s a skater and his hero is Tony Hawk, or TH, and he often confides in him about his problems. TH offers advice back via quotes from his memoir, which Sam has memorized, which is sometimes helpful, and sometimes not. At the party of a family friend, Sam’s mother introduces him to the lovely, and out-of-his-league, sixteen-year-old Alicia. He confronts her attitude with some tart honestly and wins her over, starting a passionate relationship. Soon life is moving along fast and Sam is confronted with his future prospects which plays out in several potential scenarios including teen parenthood, college, marriage, and running away from it all as he tries not to repeat the mistakes of his parents.

Notes
Themes of mistakes and taking responsibility will speak to readers in any circumstance, not just those in the impossible situation of becoming a parent at sixteen. Despite the subject matter the language isn’t graphic and sexual situations are addressed discreetly.

Awards and honors
Booklist Editors’ Choice Books for Youth, 2007

Other titles by Nick Hornby
About a Boy
A Long Way Down
How To Be Good
High Fidelity
Fever Pitch