 | They better call me Sugar : my journey from the hood to the hardwood Author: Rodgers, Sugar | |
| Price: $13.08 | ||
Summary:
Sugar Rodgers's road to a successful WNBA career was fraught with hardship and tragedy. Left essentially homeless at fourteen, she clung to basketball as a way to keep herself focused and sane. Here Rodgers delivers a powerful message of discipline, perseverance, and self-determination for anyone growing up in economically challenging conditions.
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/15/2021 Ta’Shauna Rodgers, better known as Sugar, grew up in a Suffolk, Virginia, neighborhood where poverty, drug dealing, and incarceration were familiar facts of life, counterbalanced by her strong family ties. Athletic and motivated to work hard, she first excelled at golf and then at basketball. When her house was condemned and her mother was sent to a nursing home, Sugar was taken in by her coach and a series of relatives. After high school, she was recruited to play basketball at Georgetown. Despite feeling far away from her family while dealing with a demanding collegiate athletic program, rigorous academic classes, and depression, Sugar succeeded and now plays basketball in the WNBA. In the final chapter, she acknowledges achieving her initial objectives, “getting out of the hood and living through my talents,” but she now has a new goal: sharing her story with others. She certainly accomplishes that in this raw, compelling memoir of a girl growing up in difficult circumstances but with the wits, confidence, and drive that made her an All-Star. An inspiring autobiography. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 06/01/2021 Gr 5–8—Rodgers's journey to the WNBA was not an easy road, to say the least. She starts her book with a desire to motivate others and shares her struggle to succeed by discussing her childhood growing up in an overpoliced neighborhood in Virginia. As a child, Rodgers's mother supported her involvement in golf and eventually basketball. The loss of her mother, brother, and father, as well as siblings in jail and frequently moving homes, didn't cultivate an environment for Rodgers to thrive, but through support, determination, and a lot of natural skill, she found her way to the basketball court. Although the writing style is not cohesive and there are some confusing time lines, the book is easy to read, and many readers will find the vernacular relatable. It ends with advice that provides hope to readers who might not see a clear path to their dream. Rodgers's childhood and conflicts are ones many readers will be able to identify with and find hope in her motivation. Her motivation model is based on being able to take constructive criticism, that "someone thinks you are good enough to correct." VERDICT This book does contain some swearing, including derogatory terms, and potentially triggering life events such as death, imprisonment, and physical abuse. Although this work would best suit middle schoolers, some caution should be taken for sensitive readers.—Samantha Hull, Ephrata H.S., PA - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
