The definitive primer on the world’s most popular shoe: the basketball sneaker. Basketball shoes have a long and storied history both on and off the court. Back in the 1930s, a basketball sneaker was created for straight-up performance. Today, hoops footwear do double duty: they’re designed for and by elite players, but to sneakerheads, how they look is nearly as important as how they perform. SLAM Kicks breaks down the path of the basketball sneaker, from the birth of the very first iconic shoe, the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star, to the white-hot best-selling cultural-phenomenon Nike Air Jordan sneaker line. This book showcases the hottest basketball kicks over time, throwbacks and new shoes alike, covering each legendary sneaker and its design, the technical advancements found in the shoe, the athletes who made the shoe famous, and the cultural waves the footwear has made off the basketball court. Featured sneakers also include the Adidas Jabbar, the Puma Clyde, the Nike Air Force One, the Reebok Question, the AND1 Tai Chi, the Nike Zoom Kobe IV, and many others. SLAM Kicks: Basketball Sneakers That Changed the Game is the perfect gift for basketball-sneaker fans and street-fashion enthusiasts alike.

"A sure-fire hit with readers who love sports." -Booklist A fast-paced, heartfelt story for basketball fans that proves being a good teammate remains the most important quality in basketball--and in life, from New York Times bestselling author Mike Lupica. Wes' father always told him that there was only one ball in basketball. That you had to know when to take it yourself and when to give it up, that finding the right balance was key. So at every practice and game, Wes tries his best to be a good basketball player and, above all, a good teammate. As the season kicks off, Wes finds that not everyone on his team has the same idea. All-star player and the Hawks' point guard, Danilo "Dinero" Rey seems determined to hold the spotlight and the ball, even if it means costing his team the game. If the Hawks are going to make it to the playoffs, Wes will need an assist--even if it means his most important one comes off the court. In No Slam Dunk, #1 New York Times bestseller Mike Lupica demonstrates once again that there is no children's sports novelist today who can match his ability to weave a story of vivid sports action and heartfelt emotion. A touching story about teamwork and family, of selfishness and generosity, No Slam Dunk shows that even in the face of adversity, giving your best is the surest way to victory. Praise for Mike Lupica: -"Lupica is the greatest sports writer for middle school readers."--VOYA on True Legend -"Lupica will win a Pulitzer for his sportswriting one day (he should have won it already)."--The New York Times on Heat

In 1985, Nike released Michael Jordan’s first sneaker, the Air Jordan 1, and sneaker culture was born. Now thousands of people wait in line at Supreme, and companies throw millions of dollars at LeBron James to keep him in their marketing plans. The trend that saw steady growth for decades with the emergence of sports, hip-hop, and sportswear advertising has exploded into a phenomenon. And no one has watched that phenomenon more closely than Complex. Sneaker of the Year explores the past 35 years of sneaker culture with the expertise, authority, and passion that only Complex can offer. With vibrant photographs and illustrations throughout, as well as input from some of the sneaker world’s most important voices, this compilation is a must-have for hypebeasts and sneakerheads everywhere.

This book comprehensively showcases sneakers through time from early Air Jordans, the original Air Force 1, and Adidas Superstars to iconic contemporary designs by pop culture figures like Kanye West and cool fashion designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Martin Margiela--a visual history of the world’s most coveted and popular footwear, from early Keds and Converse All Stars to the latest fashion and design icons. Every sneaker has a story to tell, and this encyclopedic book features 1,000 full-color images of the sneakers that have most influenced global sneaker culture with examples to engage sneaker aficionados of all stripes. Trainers, tennis shoes, kicks—whatever you call them, the sneaker has risen to global popularity with a huge international audience clamoring for the rarest, the latest, or the reissued classics. Every angle is covered—throwbacks and new shoes alike—with legendary sneakers, groundbreaking designs, and technical advancements, as well as the athletes and celebrities who made the shoe famous. Included are the Adidas Jabbar, the Puma Clyde, the Nike Air Force 1, the Reebok Question, the Nike Zoom Kobe IV, and many others from acknowledged classics, along with less remembered styles worthy of recognition, such as the Royal Master Pro-Keds or the Sk8 High Vans, and one-of-a-kind limited releases like the 1971 Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar Adidas. 1000 Sneakers features detailed reference sections for collectors, histories of leading brands and designers, and anecdotes from the worlds of sports, fashion, hip-hop, and popular culture, making this book the perfect gift for sports, design, and street fashion enthusiasts alike.

From its earliest days to today, poetry has always been a spoken art. On the page and out loud, poetry is the home for the brilliant, the rebellious, the artists and performers who are changing the world. Today's spoken word revolution is the literary equivalent to grabbing a culture by the collar and shaking it...hard. In the tradition of The Spoken Word Revolution, Redux brings more of the gripping, moving, innovative, often hilarious poetry in the oral tradition. This redefining collection gathers multiple forms of "spoken word" under the same motley tent—slam, hip-hop, musical interpretations, and youth movements among them. The resulting brew is both satisfying and world-expanding. One audio CD features some of the best poems and poets, immediately live in their own electrifying words and voices. The Spoken Word Revolution Redux includes: Singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley Slam Poetry founder Marc Smith Ethan Hawke reading Beat Poet Gregory Corso Jazz pianist Patricia Barber adapting ee cummings Former US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser, Bill Collins and Mark Strand Four-time national poetry slam champion Patricia Smith Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Hip-Hop founder Gil Scott-Heron Indy National Poetry Slam Champions, including Mayda da Ville Viggo Mortensen and Hank Mortensen Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins

Andrea's life is pretty close to perfect-she's the leading scorer on her soccer team, has great friends, and can't wait to start a new school year. Then her parents ruin everything by announcing that the family is moving to Scotland for a whole year! When Andrea gets there, she has to deal with a haunted castle, her stuttering problem, and some tough new soccer friends-who might not accept that the boy she is crushing on plays for a rival team. It's a perfect middle-grade tale of friendship, sports, and first love.