Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang

CITATION: Gene Luen Yang. (2020). Dragon hoops. First Second, An Imprint Of Roaring Brook Press.

CHARACTERS: The characters in the book are based on real people which adds a level of authenticity and helps to avoid any stereotypes. Gene Luen Yang is one of the main characters in the book and shows growth throughout the story instead of portraying himself as an expert in his work. The other main characters in the story are the basketball players on Bishop O’Dowd’s team and Coach Lou. Yang writes these characters as more than just athletes. He highlights their personal stories and shows them as individuals. 

The characters of the story are very diverse and come from various racial and cultural backgrounds. Yang emphasizes how basketball is a shared cultural experience that can bring together students from different backgrounds.  

There is no standard “good” or “evil” in this story. The characters are real people who are portrayed as complex and human. The characters all show varying emotions and strengths, and weaknesses.  

SETTING: The story is set in a modern time, around 2014-2015, and follows a real high school basketball season. There are many references to the character’s environment to modern technology use and organized school athletics. The inclusion of historical basketball figures and moments helps to connect the past to the present. The dialogue, clothing, and interactions reflect on teen culture and school life during that period of time.  

The story is primarily set at Bishop O’Dowd High School and reflects a typical high school environment. The story highlights both academic and athletic culture. The reader can see a diverse community that mirrors the cultural backgrounds of the characters. The setting directly influences the characters’ identities and their relationships. 

CULTURAL VALUES: The story explores basketball culture as it is a significant part of American high school life. The reader sees team rituals, practices, locker room dynamics, and game-day traditions. Yang incorporates personal narratives and real-life stories from the players, which adds a depth to cultural representation. 

The story does not focus on one specific racial culture, but it does focus on the community culture of U.S. high school sports. The readers can view a plot focused on teamwork, discipline, and perseverance. Although the story does focus on the coming together of all cultures, it does also show Yang’s Chinese American perspective on a sport-centered environment that he is not familiar with. 

OVERALL QUALITY: The story encourages readers to reflect on perseverance, the importance of teamwork, and personal identity. Yang’s personal reflection throughout the story invites the readers to reflect on their own storytelling, biases, and perspectives. 

Yang combines his personal memoir with the elements of a graphic novel. He integrates historical context by shedding light on basketball history and cultural influences throughout the story. 

The graphic novel format makes it engaging and accessible to readers, especially those who are interested in sports like basketball. The visual storytelling helps readers follow the fast-paced movement of basketball and also understand some of the ideas easier.  

All of the illustrations are by Yang and reflect modern high school culture. He avoids drawing characters as caricatures and depicts culturally authentic visual representations. 

REVIEWS & AWARDS:

• Kirkus Reviews, 2020: “This creative combination of memoir and reportage elicits questions of storytelling, memory, and creative liberty as well as addressing issues of equity and race. The full-color illustrations are varied in layout, effectively conveying intense emotion and heart-stopping action on the court.” 
• Michael L. Printz Honor, 2021 

• ALA Notable Children’s Book, 2021 

CONNECTIONS:

• Students can create a short comic about a personal challenge or a sports moment. 
• Students can also consider researching the history of a sport and drawing a diagram like Yang does in the book. 
• Students can read Ghost by Jason Reynolds next and compare the two books.