Dragon Road Blog Post #4

Author: Laurence Yep

Pages Read: 190/288

Genre: Historical Fiction

Report Section

Dragons are preparing themselves for the next game,. Ont the way to the gym, Professor takes newspapers and gives team to the team. As son as they received the newspaper, they flipped to the sport's section. They saw Flash(Calvin) making his one-handed shot to the basket. Rest of the team got jealous, when Jack said that its good that some of them got in the paper, they are still the team. They started celebrating, when Professor told them that war is starting. China and Japan are fighting, and there are also some problems in Britain, Germany, and Finland. China is always stronger, but somehow Japan turns the battle in their hands. When They got to their next game, they had to play the giant. Opponent's player was so tall, that he could dunk without jumping, not even hopping. All of the passes went to him in the paint, but somehow Hollywood managed to defend the giant very well. After the lot of effort they managed to win the game. Because i was winter, crowd would rather stay at home than come in the gym and watch the game. When manager that made sure that this game happens came to the team, they did not receive money, because there was no crowd. When Dragons headed for their next game, they did not sleep in the hotel, they slept on some abounded farm, and it was very cold for them to sleep there. Half of the team got sick, but Alphonse jeered them up with his jokes. When they got into the gym for their next game, Jack informed Calvin that he should be careful, because the team they are going to play is professional team and they are called Davis Brothers. Their main and best player was their guard, and Calvin needed to guard him. He was too fast for Calvin, but Jack gave him an advice how to stop a man that strong. Calvin listened to the advice and started insulting their guard. After few minutes, guard started missing his shots, but the referee still called fouls for the opposing team, so Hollywood did the same as in the last game they played when referee did the same. At the end, they won by seven points, but this time there was crowd and they started booing when their team lost, but when they started going toward the Annie(the car), they heard Davis' coach yelling and bullring their guard, and they felt bad, but Jack told Calvin not to jump in and save the guard, and of course, as always he listened Jack's advice. They headed for the Idaho, for their next few games.

Response Section

I really like what I've read in this part of the book. Calvin finally got on the cover of the newspaper, but still war is starting. China is much stronger than Japan, and its winning too, but somehow Japan always knows China's weakness. Rest of the team got jealous of Calvin, but still happy that one of the Dragons got on the cover. Calvin still writes post cards to Grandpa Joe, and Jean, an whenever team gets paid, most of the Calvin's and Barney's money go to their managers, Jean, Tiger, and Grandpa Joe. Only thing that I don't like about the book is that the book is only about the basketball games. I love basketball, but I expected that there will be some conflict out of the basketball, and basketball games, but writer really knows hoe to make those basketball games alive. Before the Davis game, barney had to stay in the locker room to wash the dirty laundry, and Jack did not allow Calvin to help him, he wanted him to play poker with the rest of the team. On the court, players started listening to Calvin more than usual, and that's when he realized that this is his new family. I think that Grandpa Joe and Jean will come to watch Calvin, and he will get surprised. I also think that war will get more serious, and America will get involved in it, but who knows, everything is possible. I am satisfied of what I read, and my recent reading has fulfilled my expectations. 

Passage Section

"I opened the paper. Sure enough, they'd gotten me in mid-jump with the ball soaring out of my hand and angry, open-mouthed opponents glaring up at me. The first line of the article said it all: Last night a gang of Chinese bandits stole the ball, the show, and the world's attention, and and the ringleader was a kid phenom, Flash Chin, who not only has larceny in his heart but more bounce than a jackrabbit."

This was the time when Calvin got on the cover of the newspaper, and everyone got jealous, but still happy that the Dragons got the spot in the news paper.