LeBron James: NBA Superstar and Activist

by Heather E. Schwartz

Overview

Four-time NBA champion LeBron James has been a basketball superstar since high school. Learn about his journey to become an all-time NBA great and his life of activism off the court.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728448770
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2022
Series:	Gateway Biographies Series
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	6.75(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.14(d)
Lexile:	950L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 11 Years

About the Author

When Heather E. Schwartz was thirteen years old, she tracked down several lead orphans from the 1983 movie "Annie" and interviewed them by phone. As an adult, she realized she could apply those same early instincts to a career as a journalist and writer. She is the author of more than 35 nonfiction children's titles, published by Lerner Publishing Group, Capstone Press, Teacher Created Materials, Lucent Books, and Tangerine Press, a Scholastic imprint. She has written articles for National Geographic Kids and Discovery Girls. In addition, she developed the content for KidsGetArthritisToo.org, the juvenile section of the Arthritis Foundation's website. Other credits in the children's market include articles for Teen, Girls' Life, and All About You magazines. Additionally, Ms. Schwartz is a former editor at Bridal Guide magazine, co-author of Bridal Guide Magazine's How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Gown (Warner, 2004), and contributor to The Takeout Cookbook (Knock Knock 2007).

Table of Contents

A Rough Start 10

Growing Up 14

Going Pro 20

Leading the Cavaliers 23

A Fresh Start in Miami 29

Returning to His Roots 33

Raising His Voice 38

Important Dates 42

Source Notes 44

Selected Bibliography 46

Learn More 47

Index 48

Editorial Reviews

"LeBron James remains one of the all-time greatest professional basketball players to ever play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). James was scouted throughout his high school career and his arrival in the NBA in 2003 was highly anticipated. A native of Akron, Ohio, he was glad to be drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers so he could represent the people of his home state on the court. From the outset of his career, James proved himself to be a stellar performer on the court. He possessed a unique set of athletic skills, an amazing combination of power, speed, jumping ability, deft ball-handling, shooting skills, and a brilliant basketball IQ. Over nearly twenty years, LeBron James has dominated his chosen sport, playing in numerous NBA championship series, winning four league titles, and scoring more points than virtually every other player in league history. In many ways, LeBron James is the ultimate success story, having grown in poverty and achieved fame and fortune. Off the court, he has been extremely charitable and socially active on issues that mark him as a man of high integrity. James has also taken social and political stances that are both quite public and grounded on his belief in democracy, social justice, and anti-racism. He has helped people build new homes, find jobs, attain quality education, and otherwise get a leg up to escape poverty. It is the story of this NBA superstar that is ably presented in this illustrated biography. In presenting the life and times of LeBron James, Schwartz does a nice job of balancing her focus on his basketball achievements, his family history, and his activism. The end result is an informative and authentic portrayal of a man whose talents as a professional athlete, social activist, and philanthropist combine to make him a person worthy of respect. Reviewer Rating: 4"—Children's Literature

From the Publisher

04/01/2022

Gr 4–8—The lives of activists currently in the news are explored in these three volumes. Readers learn of LeBron James's challenging childhood and his path to success in the NBA. The life of first Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, is detailed here, including her poetry reading at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration. Stacey Abrams's life and political career, especially her efforts to increase voter participation, are related. All three biographies are incredibly positive; unfortunately that positivity inclines toward hagiography. Excluded are James's controversial tweets about COVID-19 and the important fact that Abrams's gubernatorial opponent was executing Georgia law when he deleted voters from the registry. No mention is made of white translators removed from their jobs translating Gorman's poems. Another issue: since the subjects are all dynamic, living individuals, the information provided is already dated—no mention is made of Abrams's entry into the 2022 Georgia governor's race. VERDICT Targeted readers deserve more balanced reads on these admirable but complex figures; selectors should pass.

School Library Journal