Slam Kicks: Basketball Sneakers that Changed the Game edited by Ben Osborne

With a simple, yet inviting cover and colorful photographs of sneakers and the basketball stars who wore them on every page, this new acquisition has quickly become one of the most popular books in the Bronx Hope library. In addition to the attention-grabbing pictures is a collection of articles ranging from sneaker collecting to the history of the Nike Air Jordan I. The articles may not be the initial draw for students, but because they’re written in an accessible style similar to what might be found in a magazine, students are likely to pick up some interesting facts about the basketball sneaker business just through browsing. Highly recommended for basketball and/or sneaker enthusiasts and reluctant readers of all ages. --Anja Kennedy

Osborne, Ben, ed.  Slam Kicks: Basketball Sneakers that Changed the Game.  New York: Universe-Rizzoli, 2013.  Print.

Eat This, Not That! by David Zinczenko

This is the book you’ve been waiting for. We all know how important diet is if you’re looking to lose weight and get healthy, but trying to figure out what’s good and what’s not can be an overwhelming experience. In this appealing little book, David Zinczenko, Editor-in-Chief of Men’s Health Magazine, shows the reader how to take small but important steps towards eating better. In the chapters on supermarket foods and famous fast food restaurant chains, Zinczenko explicitly tells the reader not to eat one item, and to instead swap it for a similar, healthier substitute. He includes the reasons why -- usually the foods to avoid have high calorie counts, too many grams of fat, or they’re surprisingly high in sodium. Thankfully, the alternatives he suggests often look and sound just as appetizing, and somehow, becoming informed about what’s really lurking in the unhealthy choice can make that food much less appetizing. For instance, did you know that the innocuous Multi-grain Bagel at Dunkin’ Donuts is one of the unhealthiest options they have? Surprisingly, you’ll find fewer calories in their Ham Egg & Cheese English Muffin Sandwich.

Also informative are the notes and sidebars full of tips, and the chapters on beverages, foods to eat every day, menu decoding, and what to eat when. This book (and others in the series) was a perfect complement to last week’s ELA Media Unit focusing on analyzing food media.  --Anja Kennedy