Dragon Hoops

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang

Reviewed by M.Cardona, D. Dompor, C. Eilers, A. Mojica

Review:

    Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang is a young adult nonfiction graphic novel following the journey of the Bishop O’Dowd Dragons basketball team. In their excellent run towards a championship they had been in the brinks of claiming for the past couple of years prior to the novel, but always falling short. What many saw as a magical run in 2015 was actually a combination of struggle, adversity, and beauty in being selfless. With a hint of controversy. The author Gene does a great job intertwining all players and coaches from their background to the chemistry they have on the field. A difficult task the same way as it is to build a locker room where everyone recognizes each other as family. There is also the brief history of basketball and how the sport came to be. The novel is very meta, kind of like a Deadpool comic breaking the fourth wall as we see almost the exact images in which the author himself saw and his thought process. From the games, roaring crowd, halftime speeches, and NBA level passes made on the court. The same way the author of the novel Gene first felt when beginning on his journey to follow the team is the same way many might feel when first starting the novel. They’re only a high school team, not everyone plays basketball. This book can’t be very relatable. Yet, the dialogue and intimate interviews of the players and coaches peels back a layer the media just can’t. We get a close up on a team that knows failure and appreciates success. From head coach Lou, top recruits in the nation Ivan and Paris, overseas transfers Alex Zhao and Jeevin Sanhu, “Always Austin Walker”, and Coach Phelps. We usually see these star studded teams on a highlight reel or coaches in an interview after making a decision that led to a loss, but at the end of the day they’re simply student-athletes. Focused on grades, how to get home, calling their parents, making sure they didn’t forget their gym bag, or most importantly their shoes. It’s why “student” is always before “athlete” in “student-athletes”. By the end of the novel we still feel the same way the author does, shouting and raising our fist in the air knowing that hard work pays off. Overall, we see the author also live through this journey that he followed. While following the team he had few decisions to make for himself from leaving Bishop O’Dowd to pursue comics full time to including Coach Phelps in the book. It is noticeable that he grew as a person and pulled inspiration from those he interviewed in making his decisions. A novel like this can have a huge impact in the classroom letting students know they are not alone in juggling so many responsibilities, and despite many saying that a graphic novel can’t be educational, it’s through visuals and diagrams that we also learn in other areas such as history and science. Comics are simply a reflection of our thoughts, they are words made into images, and Dragon Hoops still exceeds all expectations. 

Preview of Dragon Hoops feat. Yang



Preview of Dragon Hoops feat. Coach Lou




Biography:

    Gene Luen Yang was born on August 9, 1973 to two Taiwanese immigrants in the Bay Area, CA. During his third grade, Yang did a report on Walt Disney, beginning his obsession to become an animater for Disney; however, his dreams changed two years later when his mother bought Yang his first comic book: issue 57 of the Superman series DC Comics Presents. Despite his dreams of studying art, he fulfillied his parents' wish for him to pursue a more "stable" career and majored in computer science with a minor in creative writing at University of California, Berkley. After graduating i 1995, he found a job as a high school computer science teacher, but left a year later when he began to self-publish his own comics under the imprint Humble Comics. 

     In 1997, Yang's first published comic Gordon Yamamoto and the King of Geeks, under Humble Comics, won him the Xeric Grant, a self-publishing grant for comic book creators. 

    In 2006, Yang's book American Born Chinese was published by First Second Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers (Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, etc). His book became the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first graphic novel to win the American LIbrary Association's Printz Award. His book also won an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album - New.

    Yang has worked on Dark Horse Comics' Avatar: The Last Airbender series as well we DC Comics' Superman. Yang served as the 2016-2017 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and was also named to the 2016 class of the MacArthur Fellows Program.

    In 2020, Yang won two Harvey Awards: Dragon Hoops for Book of the Year and Superman Smashes the Klan for Best Children or Young Adult Book. Dragon Hoops also won the Eisner Award for Best Publication for Teens in 2021. Yang continues to advocate using comics and graphic novels in the classroom, an idea he wrote on for his master's degree at California State University, East Bay, that orignally came from his time as a teacher at Bishop O'Dowd when he would uses comics to help his students learn the math concepts in his absences. 


Instructional Resources:

  1. Gene Luen Yang: Growing Up Chinese American, Graphically

    This interview with author and artist Gene Yang discusses his struggles and triumphs growing up Chinese American, touching on stereotypes and other themes that cross over into Dragon Hoops. This video will help students identify the importance of Asian American representation in literature and writing and better understand the influence of graphic novels. Additionally, students will gain insight into Yang’s inspiration and goals.

  2. How Basketball Became China’s Most Beloved Sport-RADII

    This in-depth article from Radii details the popularity of basketball in China. Dragon Hoops touches on this phenomenon, but this article will help branch out and discuss the topic further. It is important for students to understand the scope of their world and to expand away from US-centric ideas.

  3. How Comic Books Can Make Kids (and Adults) Smarter | Gene Luen Yang | Big Think

    This video from Big Think shows author and artist Gene Yang as he highlights the importance of comics and breaks down the negative stigma surrounding comic literacy. This video will help students identify the negative stigma of comics and form their own opinions, as well as get an understanding of Yang’s love for the medium. Additionally, because the students will be reading a graphic novel, it is important to highlight other forms of media as well, such as video/animation.

  4. Rules of Basketball-Mr. Animate

    This video discusses an in-depth look into basketball, its rules, and playstyle. This video will help students better understand basketball, especially if they, like Gene Yang, did not know much about it prior to Dragon Hoops. This video will further engage students on an important aspect of the novel and get them to think further on the material. Additionally, by using a video, students will easily review any concepts they find confusing.

  5. The History of Basketball-National Geographic

    This National Geographic article details and outlines the history of basketball from its invention to everyday entertainment. This article will aid in the material covered in Dragon Hoops furthering students’ engagement and understanding. The article is easy to follow and neatly organized, with various photographs sprinkled throughout.

  1. What is a Graphic Novel?

    This informational page defines a graphic novel. It is important for students to identify and understand the difference between genres and formats. This page will help students distinguish a graphic novel from a novel and the various types of graphic novels.

  2. What is a Graphic Novel-Video

    This video outlines the timeline of comics and graphic novels, from political cartoons to everyday entertainment. This video will help to engage students with the material and excite them to read a graphic novel knowing more of its colorful and complex history. By showing videos, students will be able to visually and audibly learn.

  3. Why comics belong in the classroom | Gene Yang | TEDxManhattanBeach

    This video shows author and artist Gene Yang discussing the importance of using visual tools for students’ education. This video shows students who the author of the book is and his stance on comics, education, etc., leading students to form their own opinions on their relationship with literacy. 


Instructional Activity:


The activity is known as a characterization poster. The students will meet in groups of four and be assigned a character from Dragon Hoops. They will then make their poster, making sure they are meeting all the requirements as listed on the checklist handout. Students will have the remainder of the class period to create their posters demonstrating aspects of characterization that are evident in Dragon Hoops. 

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Goals of Lesson Plan:

  • Students will be able to identify direct characterization in the text

  • Students will be able to identify indirect characterization in the text

  • Students will be able to cite their sources correctly according to MLA standards

Description of Lesson:

The lesson will begin with a short reminder about direct characterization and indirect characterization. Students will be given a few minutes to discuss with their groups some examples of direct characterization and indirect catheterization. After the think pair shares, the teacher will bring the class back together and call on groups to share their examples. Once students have a good understanding of characterization, the teacher will present the activity and the activity example.


Bibliography:

Chen, Alice C. “The Humble Comic.” SFGATE, 11 May 2008. www.comicsbeat.com/announcing-the-beat-comics-industry-person-of-the-year-gene-luen-yang/www.sfgate.com/magazine/article/The-Humble-Comic-3214214.php.

Gene Luen Yang - MacArthur Foundation. www.macfound.org/fellows/class-of-2016/gene-luen-yang.

Gustines, George Gene. “Library of Congress Anoints Graphic Novelist as Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.” The New York Times, 4 Jan. 2016. NYTimes.com, www.nytimes.com/2016/01/04/books/library-of-congress-anoints-graphic-novelist-as-ambassador-for-young-peoples-literature.html.

Staff, Beat. Photograph of Gene Luen Yang. “Announcing The Beat Comics Industry Person of the Year: Gene Luen Yang.” The Beat, 8 Jan. 2021. www.comicsbeat.com/announcing-the-beat-comics-industry-person-of-the-year-gene-luen-yang/

Yang, Gene Luen. “About.” Gene Luen Yang. geneyang.com/about-gene.

Yang, Gene Luen. Image of Dragon Hoops.” Gene Luen Yang. https://geneyang.com/works/dragon-hoops?portfolioID=57124

Yang, Gene Luen. Image of “Yang’s Comic Depiction of Himself.” Twitter. twitter.com/geneluenyang












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