{"id":8224671432941,"title":"If Lin Can","handle":"if-lin-can","description":"\u003ch1\u003eIf Lin Can\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow Jeremy Lin Inspired Asian Americans to Shoot for the Stars\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/richard-ho\"\u003eRichard Ho\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/huynh-kim-lien\"\u003eHuynh Kim Liên\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/phung-nguyen-quang\"\u003ePhùng Nguyên Quang\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThis biography of basketball superstar Jeremy Lin is an anthem of Asian American pride that speaks to any child who feels underestimated or misunderstood. If Lin can, you can!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave you ever been told that you CAN’T? Growing up in the Bay Area, Jeremy Lin heard that over and over again. People made fun of his size and his race and wouldn’t give him a chance. But Jeremy persevered until he became the first Taiwanese American to play in the NBA. And when his big moment came, he seized it!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeremy’s meteoric rise, dubbed \"Linsanity,\" inspired the world and a whole generation of young Asian Americans. As author Richard Ho puts it, “Jeremy’s struggles were our struggles, so his triumphs were our triumphs. He made us believe that if he could succeed, so could we.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/mountain-chef\"\u003eMountain Chef\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/girls-with-guts\"\u003eGirls with Guts\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/follow-chester\"\u003eFollow Chester\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/if-lin-can-spread.jpg?v=1694721596\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/if-lin-can-cover.jpg?v=1694721597\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/if-lin-can-cover-hires.jpeg.zip?v=1694721603\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRichard Ho, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a child, Richard Ho harbored perfectly reasonable career aspirations: professional basketball player, astrophysicist, and Jedi master. When he \"grew up,\" he worked as a magazine journalist, a scriptwriter, an editor, and an author. His highly acclaimed picture books include \u003cem\u003eRed Rover, The Lost Package,\u003c\/em\u003e and\u003cem\u003e Year of the Cat.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/richard-ho\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Richard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHuynh Kim Liên and Phùng Nguyên Quang, illustrators\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên are book creators who live and work together in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. They have illustrated several children's books, including \u003cem\u003eMy First Day\u003c\/em\u003e (which they also wrote), H\u003cem\u003eundred Years of Happiness,\u003c\/em\u003e and\u003cem\u003e The Floating Field: How a Group of Thai Boys Built Their Own Soccer Field.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/huynh-kim-lien\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"\/pages\/huynh-kim-lien\"\u003eHuynh Kim Liên\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/phung-nguyen-quang\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"\/pages\/phung-nguyen-quang\"\u003ePhùng Nguyên Quang\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Horn Book\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComposed mostly of questions, this picture-book biography traces Jeremy Lin's uphill battle as the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA. Moving from his youth to his breakout 2012 game with the New York Knicks, the book shows how faith, diligence, and tenacity helped Lin weather taunts, setbacks, privation, and an agonizing NBA draft wait. The digital illustrations employ spot art to depict Lin's off-court life, while full bleeds portray on-court action and the media craze (\"linsanity\") surrounding his meteoric rise from obscurity. Ho prompts children to reflect on their own experiences contending with naysayers, find role models who look like them, embrace who they are, and defy stereotypes. Back matter fleshes out Lin's life story and includes an author's note and bibliography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA pep talk featuring Jeremy Lin, the first athlete of Asian descent to play in the NBA.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Have you ever been told that you can’t?” With growing rhetorical force, Ho asks readers if they’ve ever felt misunderstood or disheartened. “You’re not alone,” he reassures them. “Have you ever turned on a television or opened a newspaper and discovered someone who looked like you?” The author goes on to show how Lin shrugged off naysayers and those who “made fun of his size, his race, and his game.” As a professional player, he was cut from his first team and continued to warm benches. He persevered, however, until, one February night in 2012, he was at last given the opportunity to show his dazzling stuff and ignited a season of “Linsanity” with the New York Knicks. Illustrations of two solitary, Asian-presenting children alternately ignored or surrounded by scoffing peers give way to scenes of the young Lin enduring similar treatment, including, in one scene, hearing catcalls from a dark-skinned young skeptic standing next to a light-skinned one mocking Lin’s eyes. But he works through it all and is ready when his chance comes to shine. “Now ask yourself,” the author concludes, “if Lin can, why can’t I?” Good question.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA slam dunk choice for role modeling. (more information on Lin, afterword, author’s note, bibliography)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt once affirmation and biography, Ho’s simple yet captivating overview of the life of NBA basketball star Jeremy Lin (b. 1988) begins with a series of call-and-response questions: “Have you ever been told that you can’t?” As the pages turn, three East Asian–cued children represent an aspiring athlete, actor, and leader facing moments of discrimination, bullying, and self-doubt. Lin is introduced as “someone who looks like you,” a line that hints at the importance of representation to self-image, before the book segues into a cursory overview of Lin’s life. Stylized digital illustrations from Hu`ynh and Phùng build to a triumphant moment in Lin’s career before the second-person text asks, “Have you ever cheered for someone who shattered stereotypes, burst through barriers, and made you feel proud of who you are?” Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. A biography, author’s note, and bibliography conclude. Ages 7–10.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentation and inspiration are at the fore of this picture book loosely based on the career of Asian American professional basketball star Jeremy Lin. Ho challenges readers to overcome obstacles, dream big, and look for inspiration from role models who share aspects of their identity. The book begins by asking, “Have you ever been told that you can’t?”—or that you are not enough or should doubt yourself in sports, performing arts, school, and more? Ho then asks whether readers have ever found someone who looks like them or has faced similar challenges in the news, following up these queries with descriptions of obstacles and achievements faced by Jeremy Lin. The book concludes with the motivational question, “If Lin can, why can’t I?” Bold illustrations often fill the entire page and capture the feelings of both children and Lin as they strive despite being marginalized and underestimated. Ho’s tendency to generalize may make it hard for some readers to connect with the exhortations and even Lin himself; however, the back matter includes a brief biography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eChildren's Literature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’ve ever felt like the world keeps telling you that you can’t even though you know you can, then you have an idea of how Asian American basketball player Jeremy Lin has felt for much of his life. Author Richard Ho’s inspiration from Jeremy Lin’s perseverance has led him to write this picture book anthem of Asian pride. Three young children are told they can’t climb the rope, can’t star in the play, and can’t run for class president. They’re told that they're not athletic enough, don’t look the part, and never speak up. Readers are told they are not alone if they have also felt this way. Then, readers see children who discover someone who looks like them on television and in the newspaper, children who feel like that person has the same challenges that they have. That someone is NBA basketball star Jeremy Lin. He finally gets his shot! He shatters stereotypes, bursts barriers, and makes readers feel proud of who they are. To complete the biography, a comprehensive timeline of Lin’s journey, an explanation of Ho’s inspiration for the book, and a bibliography fill the last few pages. Young athletes, young Asian Americans, or anyone who has ever felt like they keep being told they can’t, can find encouragement on the colorful pages of this picture book. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-372-3\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 7–10\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 40\u003cbr\u003e8\u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 11\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication date: April 16, 2024\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2023-10-12T10:11:41-04:00","created_at":"2023-09-19T10:43:15-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Diversity","Browse by Subject_History \u0026 Biography","Browse by Subject_Life Lessons \u0026 Skills","Browse by Subject_Sports","civil rights"],"price":1899,"price_min":1899,"price_max":1899,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":44244013613293,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":null,"requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":39023329870061,"product_id":8224671432941,"position":1,"created_at":"2023-09-19T10:50:50-04:00","updated_at":"2023-09-19T10:50:52-04:00","alt":null,"width":600,"height":777,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/if-lin-can-cover_f19a7f77-d703-46a5-99b4-ebc7ee4e56aa.jpg?v=1695135052","variant_ids":[44244013613293]},"available":true,"name":"If Lin Can - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":1899,"weight":369,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":10,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":null,"featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":31632243065069,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.772,"height":777,"width":600,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/if-lin-can-cover_f19a7f77-d703-46a5-99b4-ebc7ee4e56aa.jpg?v=1695135052"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/if-lin-can-cover_f19a7f77-d703-46a5-99b4-ebc7ee4e56aa.jpg?v=1695135052"],"featured_image":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/if-lin-can-cover_f19a7f77-d703-46a5-99b4-ebc7ee4e56aa.jpg?v=1695135052","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":31632243065069,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.772,"height":777,"width":600,"src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/if-lin-can-cover_f19a7f77-d703-46a5-99b4-ebc7ee4e56aa.jpg?v=1695135052"},"aspect_ratio":0.772,"height":777,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/files\/if-lin-can-cover_f19a7f77-d703-46a5-99b4-ebc7ee4e56aa.jpg?v=1695135052","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003ch1\u003eIf Lin Can\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow Jeremy Lin Inspired Asian Americans to Shoot for the Stars\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/richard-ho\"\u003eRichard Ho\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/huynh-kim-lien\"\u003eHuynh Kim Liên\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/phung-nguyen-quang\"\u003ePhùng Nguyên Quang\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThis biography of basketball superstar Jeremy Lin is an anthem of Asian American pride that speaks to any child who feels underestimated or misunderstood. If Lin can, you can!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave you ever been told that you CAN’T? Growing up in the Bay Area, Jeremy Lin heard that over and over again. People made fun of his size and his race and wouldn’t give him a chance. But Jeremy persevered until he became the first Taiwanese American to play in the NBA. And when his big moment came, he seized it!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJeremy’s meteoric rise, dubbed \"Linsanity,\" inspired the world and a whole generation of young Asian Americans. As author Richard Ho puts it, “Jeremy’s struggles were our struggles, so his triumphs were our triumphs. He made us believe that if he could succeed, so could we.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/mountain-chef\"\u003eMountain Chef\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/girls-with-guts\"\u003eGirls with Guts\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/products\/follow-chester\"\u003eFollow Chester\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/if-lin-can-spread.jpg?v=1694721596\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" class=\"cvr-border-gray\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/if-lin-can-cover.jpg?v=1694721597\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"product-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/if-lin-can-cover-hires.jpeg.zip?v=1694721603\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRichard Ho, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a child, Richard Ho harbored perfectly reasonable career aspirations: professional basketball player, astrophysicist, and Jedi master. When he \"grew up,\" he worked as a magazine journalist, a scriptwriter, an editor, and an author. His highly acclaimed picture books include \u003cem\u003eRed Rover, The Lost Package,\u003c\/em\u003e and\u003cem\u003e Year of the Cat.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/richard-ho\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Richard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHuynh Kim Liên and Phùng Nguyên Quang, illustrators\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên are book creators who live and work together in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. They have illustrated several children's books, including \u003cem\u003eMy First Day\u003c\/em\u003e (which they also wrote), H\u003cem\u003eundred Years of Happiness,\u003c\/em\u003e and\u003cem\u003e The Floating Field: How a Group of Thai Boys Built Their Own Soccer Field.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead more about \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/huynh-kim-lien\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"\/pages\/huynh-kim-lien\"\u003eHuynh Kim Liên\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/phung-nguyen-quang\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" data-mce-href=\"\/pages\/phung-nguyen-quang\"\u003ePhùng Nguyên Quang\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Horn Book\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComposed mostly of questions, this picture-book biography traces Jeremy Lin's uphill battle as the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA. Moving from his youth to his breakout 2012 game with the New York Knicks, the book shows how faith, diligence, and tenacity helped Lin weather taunts, setbacks, privation, and an agonizing NBA draft wait. The digital illustrations employ spot art to depict Lin's off-court life, while full bleeds portray on-court action and the media craze (\"linsanity\") surrounding his meteoric rise from obscurity. Ho prompts children to reflect on their own experiences contending with naysayers, find role models who look like them, embrace who they are, and defy stereotypes. Back matter fleshes out Lin's life story and includes an author's note and bibliography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA pep talk featuring Jeremy Lin, the first athlete of Asian descent to play in the NBA.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Have you ever been told that you can’t?” With growing rhetorical force, Ho asks readers if they’ve ever felt misunderstood or disheartened. “You’re not alone,” he reassures them. “Have you ever turned on a television or opened a newspaper and discovered someone who looked like you?” The author goes on to show how Lin shrugged off naysayers and those who “made fun of his size, his race, and his game.” As a professional player, he was cut from his first team and continued to warm benches. He persevered, however, until, one February night in 2012, he was at last given the opportunity to show his dazzling stuff and ignited a season of “Linsanity” with the New York Knicks. Illustrations of two solitary, Asian-presenting children alternately ignored or surrounded by scoffing peers give way to scenes of the young Lin enduring similar treatment, including, in one scene, hearing catcalls from a dark-skinned young skeptic standing next to a light-skinned one mocking Lin’s eyes. But he works through it all and is ready when his chance comes to shine. “Now ask yourself,” the author concludes, “if Lin can, why can’t I?” Good question.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA slam dunk choice for role modeling. (more information on Lin, afterword, author’s note, bibliography)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt once affirmation and biography, Ho’s simple yet captivating overview of the life of NBA basketball star Jeremy Lin (b. 1988) begins with a series of call-and-response questions: “Have you ever been told that you can’t?” As the pages turn, three East Asian–cued children represent an aspiring athlete, actor, and leader facing moments of discrimination, bullying, and self-doubt. Lin is introduced as “someone who looks like you,” a line that hints at the importance of representation to self-image, before the book segues into a cursory overview of Lin’s life. Stylized digital illustrations from Hu`ynh and Phùng build to a triumphant moment in Lin’s career before the second-person text asks, “Have you ever cheered for someone who shattered stereotypes, burst through barriers, and made you feel proud of who you are?” Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. A biography, author’s note, and bibliography conclude. Ages 7–10.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRepresentation and inspiration are at the fore of this picture book loosely based on the career of Asian American professional basketball star Jeremy Lin. Ho challenges readers to overcome obstacles, dream big, and look for inspiration from role models who share aspects of their identity. The book begins by asking, “Have you ever been told that you can’t?”—or that you are not enough or should doubt yourself in sports, performing arts, school, and more? Ho then asks whether readers have ever found someone who looks like them or has faced similar challenges in the news, following up these queries with descriptions of obstacles and achievements faced by Jeremy Lin. The book concludes with the motivational question, “If Lin can, why can’t I?” Bold illustrations often fill the entire page and capture the feelings of both children and Lin as they strive despite being marginalized and underestimated. Ho’s tendency to generalize may make it hard for some readers to connect with the exhortations and even Lin himself; however, the back matter includes a brief biography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eChildren's Literature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’ve ever felt like the world keeps telling you that you can’t even though you know you can, then you have an idea of how Asian American basketball player Jeremy Lin has felt for much of his life. Author Richard Ho’s inspiration from Jeremy Lin’s perseverance has led him to write this picture book anthem of Asian pride. Three young children are told they can’t climb the rope, can’t star in the play, and can’t run for class president. They’re told that they're not athletic enough, don’t look the part, and never speak up. Readers are told they are not alone if they have also felt this way. Then, readers see children who discover someone who looks like them on television and in the newspaper, children who feel like that person has the same challenges that they have. That someone is NBA basketball star Jeremy Lin. He finally gets his shot! He shatters stereotypes, bursts barriers, and makes readers feel proud of who they are. To complete the biography, a comprehensive timeline of Lin’s journey, an explanation of Ho’s inspiration for the book, and a bibliography fill the last few pages. Young athletes, young Asian Americans, or anyone who has ever felt like they keep being told they can’t, can find encouragement on the colorful pages of this picture book. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-372-3\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 7–10\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 40\u003cbr\u003e8\u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\/\u003c\/span\u003e\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e x 11\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication date: April 16, 2024\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}