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Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream
Michael Jordan’s mother and sister team up for this heartwarming and inspirational picture book about faith and hope and how any family working together can help a child make his or her dreams come true.
Michael Jordan.
The mere mention of the name conjures up visions of basketball played at its absolute best. But as a child, Michael almost gave up on his hoop dreams, all because he feared he’d never grow tall enough to play the game that would one day make him famous.
That’s when his mother and father stepped in and shared the invaluable lesson of what really goes into the making of a champion—patience, determination, and hard work.
Michael Jordan.
The mere mention of the name conjures up visions of basketball played at its absolute best. But as a child, Michael almost gave up on his hoop dreams, all because he feared he’d never grow tall enough to play the game that would one day make him famous.
That’s when his mother and father stepped in and shared the invaluable lesson of what really goes into the making of a champion—patience, determination, and hard work.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
26 people are currently reading
1177 people want to read
About the author
Deloris Jordan
7 books9 followersDeloris Jordan is Michael Jordan's mother and the coauthor of Salt in His Shoes and Michael's Golden Rules, illustrated by Kadir Nelson; Did I Tell You I Love You Today?, illustrated by Shane W. Evans; and Dream Big, illustrated by Barry Root.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
November 27, 2022
Who better to give us a nugget of inspiration from the life of Michael Jordan than is mother and his sister? I love this story and the conversations depicted in the book when Michael is discouraged about his height and basketball skills. His mother sprinkles salt in his shoes to remind him of the prayers she is sending up on his behalf. He still has to put those shoes on and practice, practice, practice. If he had just sat around and waited to grow taller, we would not have the basketball legend we all know today. This small glimpse at the family life of Michael Jordan is heartwarming and inspiring.
March 5, 2013
This story was written by Michael Jordan's mother and sister and tells about his childhood. When Michael Jordan was younger, his older brothers always played basketball at a nearby court. Michael always wanted to play with them but he was much younger and smaller so he was only allowed to play when one of the older boys wasn't there. When he did have the rare opportunity to play, he often couldn't shoot well because everyone was so much taller than him. He became very frustrated. When he went home he told his mother how he was feeling and she comforted him by telling him that she had a cure to help him grow taller. She told him that she would put salt in his shoes and that if they both prayed each night, it would help them grow taller.Michael decided to not go play with the older boys for awhile while he was waiting to grow taller and practiced around the house. he waited for months and practiced very hard. One day, he measured himself but was very upset when he realized he hadn't grown an inch. When he went to talk to his dad about it, his dad told him that height wasn't what was important. It was practice that mattered. Feeling great, Micheal went down to the park and demanded to play with the older boys. He ended up winning the game for his team, regardless of his height.
As a teacher, I think this book has a lot to offer. I think the message from this book is that even famous stars had to start somewhere. I think it also shows that everyone gets frustrated at some point in life but it's our perseverance that makes us grow. I would definitely have this book in my class and I know I will use it every year no matter what grade I'm teaching.
As a teacher, I think this book has a lot to offer. I think the message from this book is that even famous stars had to start somewhere. I think it also shows that everyone gets frustrated at some point in life but it's our perseverance that makes us grow. I would definitely have this book in my class and I know I will use it every year no matter what grade I'm teaching.
January 14, 2021
One year ago I added this to my “Picture Books to Read” shelf, despite not having thought much at all about basketball or MJ in decades! A year and pandemic later, we’ve watched Space Jam as a fam, my hubs and I watched the Michael Jordan documentary on ESPN, and now the fourth grader is doing a book report on MJ. This was a cute story and a good reinforcement to practice and pray.
February 24, 2022
Very inspirational.
February 26, 2020
Gorgeously rendered oil illustrations by Kadir Nelson complement this engaging narrative about Michael Jordan, written by his mother and sister.
interesting quote:
"Being taller may help you play a little better, but not as much as practice, determination, and giving your best will. Those are the things that make you a real winner." (p. 23 - unpaged)
interesting quote:
"Being taller may help you play a little better, but not as much as practice, determination, and giving your best will. Those are the things that make you a real winner." (p. 23 - unpaged)
February 8, 2020
Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream, by Deloris and Roslyn Jordan, is a biography about Michael Jordan written by his mom and one of his sisters. The book explores Michael’s doubts in himself that he may never grow taller or get better at basketball. Through the support of his family, he realizes the importance of perseverance, patience, practice, trust, faith, determination, and hard work. This book does a wonderful job illustrating the various emotions associated with feeling like you’re not good enough. Salt in His Shoes not only illustrates Michael’s emotions, but also gives a look into the perspectives of his mom, dad, and brothers. I would use this book in the 3rd grade, connecting to a variety of standards, including RL.3.3: “Identify the feeling of characters in a story.”
After reading Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream, I would love to have my students brainstorm different people in their lives that they could write about. I think it would be great to involve families, asking them to share stories about the chosen people, then have my students create written biographies about the special person in their life. I would like to end the activity by compiling them together and making copies to send home for families to enjoy. This activity would connect to many standards, including RF.3.2: “Uses letters to create written documents” and W.3.2: “Write to share information by selecting a topic and writing about it, including one or more facts or details,” as students would construct these handwritten biographies to share information about their special person’s life. I believe this would be an amazing activity because it gives students an example of a biography and engages them in writing their own (and reading each other’s)! I would likely introduce other WOW biographies to my students if they would like more inspiration. Another way I would use Salt in His Shoes in my future classroom would be to explore emotions. I would use this book to introduce the idea that we have a wide range of emotions and that our emotions affect the people around us. This book would help focus students on the variety of emotions with the disappointment Michael felt when losing games, the confidence he felt when winning games, the wonder of whether or not he will ever grow taller, and more. This book would introduce the effect that our emotions can have on other people because students would be encouraged to think more about the perspectives of Michael’s mom, dad, and brothers.
Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream is a WOW book to me because it shows how a small idea, such as that of putting salt in your shoes to grow taller, can represent much more. When Michael’s mom told him that putting salt in his shoes would make him grow taller, she knew that all he needed was a little faith in himself and determination. The illustrations in the book are also wonderful and provide a unique look with the different angles they portray. For example, we are across the street from Michael and his two brothers, we look between Michael’s parents to see him sitting on the steps feeling defeated, and we look up into the team huddle on the basketball court. This book is a great read for anyone who has experienced self doubt, as it will inspire them to face their fears!
After reading Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream, I would love to have my students brainstorm different people in their lives that they could write about. I think it would be great to involve families, asking them to share stories about the chosen people, then have my students create written biographies about the special person in their life. I would like to end the activity by compiling them together and making copies to send home for families to enjoy. This activity would connect to many standards, including RF.3.2: “Uses letters to create written documents” and W.3.2: “Write to share information by selecting a topic and writing about it, including one or more facts or details,” as students would construct these handwritten biographies to share information about their special person’s life. I believe this would be an amazing activity because it gives students an example of a biography and engages them in writing their own (and reading each other’s)! I would likely introduce other WOW biographies to my students if they would like more inspiration. Another way I would use Salt in His Shoes in my future classroom would be to explore emotions. I would use this book to introduce the idea that we have a wide range of emotions and that our emotions affect the people around us. This book would help focus students on the variety of emotions with the disappointment Michael felt when losing games, the confidence he felt when winning games, the wonder of whether or not he will ever grow taller, and more. This book would introduce the effect that our emotions can have on other people because students would be encouraged to think more about the perspectives of Michael’s mom, dad, and brothers.
Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream is a WOW book to me because it shows how a small idea, such as that of putting salt in your shoes to grow taller, can represent much more. When Michael’s mom told him that putting salt in his shoes would make him grow taller, she knew that all he needed was a little faith in himself and determination. The illustrations in the book are also wonderful and provide a unique look with the different angles they portray. For example, we are across the street from Michael and his two brothers, we look between Michael’s parents to see him sitting on the steps feeling defeated, and we look up into the team huddle on the basketball court. This book is a great read for anyone who has experienced self doubt, as it will inspire them to face their fears!
March 24, 2021
My parents bought this book for my oldest daughter's either first birthday or first Christmas. I waited until her 3rd birthday to try to read it to her. She loves it! I teared up while reading it!
In this book his brothers, mother, and father all play important roles in encouraging Michael Jordan to push hard, practice hard, eat his food, and pray. But that does not mean that there isn't tension and drama. Everyone who knows MJ knows he wasn't big enough and tall enough to play varsity as a sophomore in high school, but did you know about the basketball court bully named Mark?
The reason why I choked up a little bit reading this book is because there is a poignant part where his dad talks to him and helps him realize the he already has the mettle to go back and play basketball at the town park again after taking a couple of months off to practice and "prayerfully" grow some so that way Mark doesn't just steal the pass or block his shot again. His dad tells him "you are a great basketball player." I choked up on this point because a) his father died duirng his NBA career and I still vividly remember watching MJ sob while holding the Larry O'Brien trophy, and b) I was reading this book to my daughter and hoping that she would receive the same message that this father (and the rest of the family in the book) was trying to impress upon his dear child.
Even if you do not like basketball, or if you also sadly know that MJ really is not a *caugh* um... nice human being, this book is a great kids book. I love reading it, my oldest daughter asks for it all the time, and the art is great!
In this book his brothers, mother, and father all play important roles in encouraging Michael Jordan to push hard, practice hard, eat his food, and pray. But that does not mean that there isn't tension and drama. Everyone who knows MJ knows he wasn't big enough and tall enough to play varsity as a sophomore in high school, but did you know about the basketball court bully named Mark?
The reason why I choked up a little bit reading this book is because there is a poignant part where his dad talks to him and helps him realize the he already has the mettle to go back and play basketball at the town park again after taking a couple of months off to practice and "prayerfully" grow some so that way Mark doesn't just steal the pass or block his shot again. His dad tells him "you are a great basketball player." I choked up on this point because a) his father died duirng his NBA career and I still vividly remember watching MJ sob while holding the Larry O'Brien trophy, and b) I was reading this book to my daughter and hoping that she would receive the same message that this father (and the rest of the family in the book) was trying to impress upon his dear child.
Even if you do not like basketball, or if you also sadly know that MJ really is not a *caugh* um... nice human being, this book is a great kids book. I love reading it, my oldest daughter asks for it all the time, and the art is great!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 27, 2017Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan is a fictional story about Michael Jordan wanting to be tall when he was a child. He would play basketball with his older brothers and his neighborhood friends but they were so much taller than him. He felt like he had to be tall to be good. He thought putting salt in his shoes would make him get taller but it didn't. However dedicating time to practice, being patient and working hard made him a lot better when he played the other boys again. I think this book had a good underlying message and black boys who love basketball will love this book. The language is so pure and flows great. The Illustrations done by Kadir Nelson is also very very detailed. Catches the eye really nicely and keeps me interested.
February 22, 2018
Biography:
I really enjoyed reading the biography, Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream. I think that this text would be engaging for students and inspirational as they are also facing some of the same issues that Michael Jordan is described to face. I would use this book in grades 3-5. This biography discusses the internal and external struggles that Michael Jordan faced as a young boy who dreamed to become a tall basketball player.
As a future educator, I can see this book having the potential to be used in the classroom in many ways. I think that this book would tie in really well with some of the character traits often discussed in elementary schools. The book focusses on perseverance, had work, and following your dreams which are all important lessons to be taught to our students! I believe that while students grade 3-5 could most likely read this book independently, it would be a really great tool to use as a read aloud. Having students reflect on their own similar experiences or other people they know who may have faced some challenges and pushed through their issues would relate the story to the lived or related experiences of students.
This book was a WOW book for me because it told the story of Michael Jordan, an athlete who many students know and love, realistically. I think that the students can truly relate to the text. I also love that it was written by Michael Jordan’s mother and sister.
I really enjoyed reading the biography, Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream. I think that this text would be engaging for students and inspirational as they are also facing some of the same issues that Michael Jordan is described to face. I would use this book in grades 3-5. This biography discusses the internal and external struggles that Michael Jordan faced as a young boy who dreamed to become a tall basketball player.
As a future educator, I can see this book having the potential to be used in the classroom in many ways. I think that this book would tie in really well with some of the character traits often discussed in elementary schools. The book focusses on perseverance, had work, and following your dreams which are all important lessons to be taught to our students! I believe that while students grade 3-5 could most likely read this book independently, it would be a really great tool to use as a read aloud. Having students reflect on their own similar experiences or other people they know who may have faced some challenges and pushed through their issues would relate the story to the lived or related experiences of students.
This book was a WOW book for me because it told the story of Michael Jordan, an athlete who many students know and love, realistically. I think that the students can truly relate to the text. I also love that it was written by Michael Jordan’s mother and sister.
March 2, 2019
Kids and I loved this—very inspiring, and I had no idea that Jordan had failed so spectacularly before becoming such an historic success! Definitely a must-read for motivating kids to work hard and pursue their dreams
March 2, 2023
Third grade boys ride hard for this book
August 2, 2025
See my full review at http://michelleardillo.com/2025/08/02...
June 9, 2022
Based on a true story about Michael Jordan. Loved reading about how his family taught him to work hard, be patient, and pray!
September 10, 2025
A child hood story from Michael Jordan’s life.
February 8, 2015
Salt in His Shoes-Biography- 3rd grade
Salt in His Shoes is a biography about Michael Jordan written by his mother, Deloris, and sister, Roslyn. This heartwarming and inspirational story tells us about a time when Michael was younger and he was much smaller than all the other basketball players. Some of the kids would pick on Michael for being so short. One day after a game, Michael came home and asked his mother how he could grow taller. His mother thought for a second and responded by saying Michael had to put salt in his shoes and say his prayers before bed. Confused, Michael thought about what his mother had said and began to get excited about how tall he would get. Months went by and Michael didn't grow any taller. Instead of going to the games he wanted to practice. Michael began to get discouraged, so his father sat down to talk to him. He told Michael that it didn't matter how tall Michael was, if he wanted to be good he needed to work hard and have determination. Michael rushed to his game and ended up hitting the game-winning shot. The invaluable lesson his parents taught him from a young age about hard work payed off. As we know, Michael Jordan went on to become the greatest basketball player in history.
This is such an inspiring book, especially for elementary aged students. It tells the true story of what happens when you have patience and work hard toward a dream. I would read this book aloud in a third or fourth grade classroom. Before reading this story, I would write some important words from the story on the board such as: determined, patience, confident, believing, disappointed. After reading the story I would go back and discuss what these words mean and how they were used in the story. As a follow up activity, I would have the students write a short story about something they wish to accomplish, followed by a list of things they need to do in order to reach their goal. After going through the writing process, I would have the students illustrate their work and share their stories with the class. I would encourage them to include some of the vocabulary words mentioned at the beginning of the lesson. This is a great lesson to teach children that their dreams can come true with patience and hard work.
This is such a great book that can inspire anyone to chase after their dreams. I would definitely recommend this book!
Salt in His Shoes is a biography about Michael Jordan written by his mother, Deloris, and sister, Roslyn. This heartwarming and inspirational story tells us about a time when Michael was younger and he was much smaller than all the other basketball players. Some of the kids would pick on Michael for being so short. One day after a game, Michael came home and asked his mother how he could grow taller. His mother thought for a second and responded by saying Michael had to put salt in his shoes and say his prayers before bed. Confused, Michael thought about what his mother had said and began to get excited about how tall he would get. Months went by and Michael didn't grow any taller. Instead of going to the games he wanted to practice. Michael began to get discouraged, so his father sat down to talk to him. He told Michael that it didn't matter how tall Michael was, if he wanted to be good he needed to work hard and have determination. Michael rushed to his game and ended up hitting the game-winning shot. The invaluable lesson his parents taught him from a young age about hard work payed off. As we know, Michael Jordan went on to become the greatest basketball player in history.
This is such an inspiring book, especially for elementary aged students. It tells the true story of what happens when you have patience and work hard toward a dream. I would read this book aloud in a third or fourth grade classroom. Before reading this story, I would write some important words from the story on the board such as: determined, patience, confident, believing, disappointed. After reading the story I would go back and discuss what these words mean and how they were used in the story. As a follow up activity, I would have the students write a short story about something they wish to accomplish, followed by a list of things they need to do in order to reach their goal. After going through the writing process, I would have the students illustrate their work and share their stories with the class. I would encourage them to include some of the vocabulary words mentioned at the beginning of the lesson. This is a great lesson to teach children that their dreams can come true with patience and hard work.
This is such a great book that can inspire anyone to chase after their dreams. I would definitely recommend this book!
February 9, 2015
After hearing so much about this book I am so glad that I finally had the chance to read it for myself. I thought that this was a really great and encouraging book. Salt in His Shoes is an autobiographic memoir written by Deloris Jordan about her son Micheal Jordan. This story focuses on Micheal as a young boy and the trials he went through wanting to pursue basketball but being frustrated because he was shorter than his brothers and his other players. His mom encourages him to pray and put salt in his shoes each night. After doing this for a while and not seeing any results Micheal begins to get even more discouraged. After a talk with his father, Micheal finds the courage he needs to keep playing the game he loves. Micheal Jordan goes on to become one of the greatest and most influential basketball players of our generation.
This book would be a great read aloud for a 3-5th grade classroom because of the beautiful pictures and vocabulary involved but also because it includes lessons on courage, patience, determination, and following your dreams. I think that this book would also be a great read for grades 3-5 because this book can help tie in a lot of other lessons and concepts that I think would be important for children around this age. Overall I really enjoyed this book! It is one that I will definitely be incorporating in my future classrooms.
This book would be a great read aloud for a 3-5th grade classroom because of the beautiful pictures and vocabulary involved but also because it includes lessons on courage, patience, determination, and following your dreams. I think that this book would also be a great read for grades 3-5 because this book can help tie in a lot of other lessons and concepts that I think would be important for children around this age. Overall I really enjoyed this book! It is one that I will definitely be incorporating in my future classrooms.
May 2, 2016
“Salt in His Shoes” is a story about Michael Jordan and his dream to be a great basketball player. The story is set when Michael was a young boy who wished he were taller, so that he could help his older brothers win their basketball games each Saturday. Michael thought the key to being a great basketball player was how tall he was, which led his mom to suggest that he put salt in his shoes, pray that he would grow taller and be patient. After many weeks of waiting to be taller, Michael grew discouraged that he was not growing. He later learned that being a great basketball player requires more that just being tall. It takes “practice, determination, and giving your best will.” This book would be a great option for a read-aloud during Black History Month or even when talking about topics such as: hard work, determination, perseverance, and patients.
September 19, 2022
If I taught elementary school, this would be a staple in my curriculum
October 25, 2017
I think that the book Salt in His Shoes is a great book because it is an easy read, and has a lot of descriptive details. This story isn’t written in any special kind of way, but I like the story it tells. This book is a biography of Michael Jordan. As most people know, he is a legendary all-star basketball player. Almost everyone adores him. But most people don't know his back story, or part of how he became who he is today. In this book, it will tell you about an important moments in his childhood.
Something i found interesting about this book was that the author shared something about michael's past that no one would have really thought of or paid attention to. It talks about how Michael would go to the park with his brothers to play basketball. But Michael was shorts, and when he subbed in his team always lost. But Michael was always determined to get better. His mom always told him that he had to be patient if he wanted to become taller. So she told him that salt in his shoes would help. It didn't make sense to him, but he trusted his mom. Every single day, Michael would practice non stop. He had to keep going. It didn't matter how tall he was, he was a determined and hard working player. And that is all that mattered. Something i will never forget today is how legendary he is. He had a rough time with basketball as a young child, but that never stopped him. Today, he is a retired 6'6 LEGENDARY basketball player.
Something that wasn't included in the story, is Michael’s high school basketball career. This is something that I heard from my dad. I am sure that some biographies include this information, but I thought I would share it with you. In high school, Michael tried out for his high school varsity basket ball team. And guess what? They DENIED him. They denied the most famous basketball player today. But when that happened, Michael didn't quit.. he didn't let it get to him. He kept going, and look where that got him. He proved everyone wrong. This is something that I remember when times get tough, and things don’t go my way. I remember that you cant give up.
I would recommend this book to people who like great stories, or books about celebrities. This is because some biographies include some things about people’s lives that you may not know. To me, this book is 4/5 stars to me because it tells a great story, and it is about a person that a lot of people like. The only thing that kept me from rating it 5/5 was that it was not a very long book. I am the kind of person that likes long chapter books, but the author wrote about a small portion of someone’s life, so i understand that it is not easy to write a 300 page chapter book about that.
Something i found interesting about this book was that the author shared something about michael's past that no one would have really thought of or paid attention to. It talks about how Michael would go to the park with his brothers to play basketball. But Michael was shorts, and when he subbed in his team always lost. But Michael was always determined to get better. His mom always told him that he had to be patient if he wanted to become taller. So she told him that salt in his shoes would help. It didn't make sense to him, but he trusted his mom. Every single day, Michael would practice non stop. He had to keep going. It didn't matter how tall he was, he was a determined and hard working player. And that is all that mattered. Something i will never forget today is how legendary he is. He had a rough time with basketball as a young child, but that never stopped him. Today, he is a retired 6'6 LEGENDARY basketball player.
Something that wasn't included in the story, is Michael’s high school basketball career. This is something that I heard from my dad. I am sure that some biographies include this information, but I thought I would share it with you. In high school, Michael tried out for his high school varsity basket ball team. And guess what? They DENIED him. They denied the most famous basketball player today. But when that happened, Michael didn't quit.. he didn't let it get to him. He kept going, and look where that got him. He proved everyone wrong. This is something that I remember when times get tough, and things don’t go my way. I remember that you cant give up.
I would recommend this book to people who like great stories, or books about celebrities. This is because some biographies include some things about people’s lives that you may not know. To me, this book is 4/5 stars to me because it tells a great story, and it is about a person that a lot of people like. The only thing that kept me from rating it 5/5 was that it was not a very long book. I am the kind of person that likes long chapter books, but the author wrote about a small portion of someone’s life, so i understand that it is not easy to write a 300 page chapter book about that.
November 22, 2018
The book, "Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream" is an uplifting story about Michael Jordan and some of the obstacles he faced as a child growing up loving basketball. As a child, he frequently would play basketball with some of his friends. Often, his friends would tell him that he was "too short" and that he was never going to be tall enough to play basketball, or play it well. Disappointed, Michael went home and talked to his mother, who told him to sprinkle salt in his shoes each night, and that would help him grow taller. Each night Michael kept doing this, but he wasn't growing taller. Finally, Michael's father told him that the secret to being successful is to work hard and never grow up, and the rest is history. Now, Michael Jordan is one of the most popular and most successful basketball players that we know today. This story made me feel good while reading it. I feel that most children will be able to relate to this book well as many of us have been told that we will never be good enough to do something we love at some point in our lives. The author does a great job establishing the theme of this book, a key literary element. For example, throughout the entire time Michael is being told he won't be good enough, he continues to work hard and never give up, even when the salt in his shoes was not working. This establishes the theme early on and is clear enough even for young readers to see. One criticism I have of this book is that it tends to be a little choppy in some areas. We don't get to see the entire story of Michael Jordan, and this short snapshot sometimes almost feels like it is missing some crucial information. However, this is a book I would definitely want to use in my classroom. Not only is it an uplifting story for my students to read that will teach them to never give up on their dreams, but it will also be a great tool to use when students are practicing identifying themes of books, a common core standard that is used frequently.
February 6, 2024
As a short person, I’m tempted to put salt in my shoes after reading this book. 😆
This is a very cute story about trying your best and working hard for your goals.
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I like the authors note:
It is my hope that young readers and listeners will be motivated by this book to follow their dreams just as Michael followed his – by setting goals, working hard, and being dedicated. It’s only when we do this that our dreams can do come true. For that reason, I dedicate this book to the many children who are inclined to say “I can’t,” or “I wish I had talent,” or “I wish I were gifted.“
To them, I say, “you are gifted. You are talented and special. God has a plan for each of you; just believe in yourself and follow your dreams.”
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The illustrators note:
Every good and perfect gift comes from above. I give all praises to God for the gift to dream, the gift to believe, and the gift to be. I dedicate this book to all children who desire, and are determined to mount up on wings as eagles and soar. by the grace of God you can fly. So just do it.
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Acknowledgement:
And finally to Michael, salt in his shoes is a tribute to him for not giving up, facing his challenges with confidence, and learning to never say “I can’t.” Thanks, son, for your support.
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These are the parts of the book I liked:
I liked that Michael’s brothers tried to cheer him up and give him encouragement.
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“ please help Michael to be the best he can be, and give his best and all he does.”
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“But you are a great player, Son. And you already have everything it takes to be a winner, right in here.” Daddy tapped Michael on his chest. “Being taller may help you play a little better, but not as much as practice, determination, and giving your best will. Those are the things that make you a real winner.”
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I like the illustrations of the mother proud her son and the son looking up at the mother with love.
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I am curious about the authors other book called “family first” - highlighting seven principles of parenting.
This is a very cute story about trying your best and working hard for your goals.
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I like the authors note:
It is my hope that young readers and listeners will be motivated by this book to follow their dreams just as Michael followed his – by setting goals, working hard, and being dedicated. It’s only when we do this that our dreams can do come true. For that reason, I dedicate this book to the many children who are inclined to say “I can’t,” or “I wish I had talent,” or “I wish I were gifted.“
To them, I say, “you are gifted. You are talented and special. God has a plan for each of you; just believe in yourself and follow your dreams.”
—-
The illustrators note:
Every good and perfect gift comes from above. I give all praises to God for the gift to dream, the gift to believe, and the gift to be. I dedicate this book to all children who desire, and are determined to mount up on wings as eagles and soar. by the grace of God you can fly. So just do it.
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Acknowledgement:
And finally to Michael, salt in his shoes is a tribute to him for not giving up, facing his challenges with confidence, and learning to never say “I can’t.” Thanks, son, for your support.
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These are the parts of the book I liked:
I liked that Michael’s brothers tried to cheer him up and give him encouragement.
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“ please help Michael to be the best he can be, and give his best and all he does.”
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“But you are a great player, Son. And you already have everything it takes to be a winner, right in here.” Daddy tapped Michael on his chest. “Being taller may help you play a little better, but not as much as practice, determination, and giving your best will. Those are the things that make you a real winner.”
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I like the illustrations of the mother proud her son and the son looking up at the mother with love.
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I am curious about the authors other book called “family first” - highlighting seven principles of parenting.
February 5, 2020
Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream is a children's picture book written by Deloris Jordan with Roslyn M. Jordan and Kadir Nelson. Mother and sister combine to tell of a sweet-natured family reminiscence based on the childhood of America’s most famous athlete: the one and only Michael Jordan.
February, at least in my part of the world is Black History Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is an American former professional basketball player and the principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played fifteen seasons in the NBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls.
The Jordans' text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It is an inspirational story about this athlete's earliest on-court efforts. Nelson's contributes animated art, rendered in a cartoon style that is informal yet polished.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. In the opening scenario, a bully intimidates young Jordan during a basketball game at a neighborhood park, causing him to flub a pass. When he asks his mother what will make him grow, she advises him to put salt in his shoes and say a prayer every night. Though he obliges and continues to practice shooting baskets at home his efforts don't immediately pay off. One day, his father convinces him that, rather than being tall, practice, determination, and giving your best are the keys to being a real winner.
All in all, Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream is a wonderful inspirational story about one of the greatest basketball players in modern times – Michael Jordan.
February, at least in my part of the world is Black History Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is an American former professional basketball player and the principal owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played fifteen seasons in the NBA, winning six championships with the Chicago Bulls.
The Jordans' text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It is an inspirational story about this athlete's earliest on-court efforts. Nelson's contributes animated art, rendered in a cartoon style that is informal yet polished.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. In the opening scenario, a bully intimidates young Jordan during a basketball game at a neighborhood park, causing him to flub a pass. When he asks his mother what will make him grow, she advises him to put salt in his shoes and say a prayer every night. Though he obliges and continues to practice shooting baskets at home his efforts don't immediately pay off. One day, his father convinces him that, rather than being tall, practice, determination, and giving your best are the keys to being a real winner.
All in all, Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream is a wonderful inspirational story about one of the greatest basketball players in modern times – Michael Jordan.
Read
December 7, 2020Michael Jordan, a house name, is esteemed as the greatest basketball player of all time, or at least a measure of, but he wasn’t always the best player on the court. Deloris Jordan's, "Salt in His Shoe", tells a mother’s tale of her son’s (Michael Jordan) early difficulties on the court and his youthful hopes of growing taller and stronger to become a better basketball player. As alluded to in the title, Jordan's acts on his dreams of growing taller through his mother’s guidance by putting salt in his shoes and saying his prayers every night. Although there’s said to be some sort of “magic’ behind putting salt in his shoes, the real magic is in young Jordan’s hard-work, determination, and faith as we see his persistence to follow his passion and dream. This book, intended for children, is simply written and includes great illustrations, making for a perfect children’s book as they can easily comprehend the messages of never giving up on dreams and the importance of hard work and patience when following your dreams. The idea of following your dreams is very relevant in these early childhood years as these are the years when dreams begin, and who better to follow and learn from than one of the most well-known and idolized athletes ever. I think Jordan’s mother’s choice to use her son’s story to inspire other children is very admirable and is an awesome example of the effect these stars can have off the court. Overall great book, highly recommend as a book to read to children, but is suited as an awesome read for all ages!
September 9, 2017
Young Michael Jordan would spend every Saturday at the park courts with his older brothers, Larry and Ronnie. Since he was the youngest, that also made him the smallest. One boy, Mark, would pick on Michael and take the ball from him. Michael would take this really hard and feel bad that he's the reason his team lost. He thought if only he was taller and then his team would win. Michael asked his mom how he could grow taller and she replied with salt. She told them if he sprinkled salt in his shoes every night and say his prayers that he would grow taller. Michael decided that he should stay home from the park and practice so he would be taller next time he went. After time went on and he hadn't grown, Michael began to get down. His father told him he didn't need to grow in order to be a great player because he already was. Michael decided to go back to the park to play with his brothers and their friends. Michael was able to go in at the end of the game. The score was tied and Micheal got the ball inbounds. Did he let Marks voice keep him from being a great player??
I think this is a cute story! I'm glad the salt didn't work to make Michael grow, it showed him that everything he needed was already inside of him.
This would be a good book to teach others not to listen to bullies and to teach others that you determine what you can and cannot do. Underlying themes of this book teach patience from Michael and kindness from his brothers.
I think this is a cute story! I'm glad the salt didn't work to make Michael grow, it showed him that everything he needed was already inside of him.
This would be a good book to teach others not to listen to bullies and to teach others that you determine what you can and cannot do. Underlying themes of this book teach patience from Michael and kindness from his brothers.
November 29, 2022
In this childhood biography about Michael Jordan, we learn just one small but memorable story before his basketball success. Michael plays basketball at the park with his brothers and other neighborhood kids, but he is continuously bullied by one individual for his height. This causes Michael to become distraught and frustrated. When he asks his mother how he a grow taller, she encourages him to put salt in shoes, pray, and be patient. Though young Michael does all these things, he still doesn't grow as quickly as he would like. He takes matters into his own hands and stays back from the park to practice on his own. When he finally returns to the park, he is still given a hard time by the same bully, but Michael's hard work paid off even though he hadn't grown. His confidence becomes a great part of his success, which is a great message for young children and athletes who set goals from themselves. In this book we see a glimpse into a small struggle of Michael Jordan's childhood. He is many children's idol and I think it is always a great message and lesson for children to learn more about their idol's past, before they make it big. Overall, I really enjoyed this beautifully illustrated children's book.
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December 13, 2025Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream
Jordan, D., & Jordan, B. (2000). Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream. Putnam Juvenile.
Genre and Format: Picture book biography; narrative nonfiction.
Salt in His Shoes tells the story of young Michael Jordan and the challenges he faced growing up, including his struggles with height and perseverance in basketball. The book emphasizes patience, hard work, and determination, showing readers that dedication and a positive mindset can help achieve dreams.
Format and Illustrations: The book features colorful, expressive illustrations that depict scenes from Michael’s childhood and his basketball practice. Short, clear text paired with visual storytelling supports comprehension and engagement for early elementary students.
Content Area / Curriculum Tie-Ins:
- Social Studies: Biographies, influential figures, sports history
- ELA: Biography, sequencing, character traits, cause and effect
- Writing: Personal narratives, goal-setting reflections, “My Dream” stories
- STEM: Measurement, statistics in sports, problem-solving through practice
- Social-Emotional Learning: Perseverance, patience, self-confidence, goal-setting
- Physical Education: Sportsmanship, practice, determination, teamwork
Jordan, D., & Jordan, B. (2000). Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream. Putnam Juvenile.
Genre and Format: Picture book biography; narrative nonfiction.
Salt in His Shoes tells the story of young Michael Jordan and the challenges he faced growing up, including his struggles with height and perseverance in basketball. The book emphasizes patience, hard work, and determination, showing readers that dedication and a positive mindset can help achieve dreams.
Format and Illustrations: The book features colorful, expressive illustrations that depict scenes from Michael’s childhood and his basketball practice. Short, clear text paired with visual storytelling supports comprehension and engagement for early elementary students.
Content Area / Curriculum Tie-Ins:
- Social Studies: Biographies, influential figures, sports history
- ELA: Biography, sequencing, character traits, cause and effect
- Writing: Personal narratives, goal-setting reflections, “My Dream” stories
- STEM: Measurement, statistics in sports, problem-solving through practice
- Social-Emotional Learning: Perseverance, patience, self-confidence, goal-setting
- Physical Education: Sportsmanship, practice, determination, teamwork
October 19, 2019
My students absolutely loved this book. I read it aloud as my students hung on every word. The story was very relatable to my students both boys and girls. They all wanted to tell me a story about "When I...". One of my students piped up to say "Oh, Mrs. Daughtry Michael is a "round" character. Remember when we talked about how characters change?", then she proceeded to tell me how Michael changed in the story. As a teacher this was a very proud moment for me. My students really are listening! I loved the fact that Deloris Jordan (the author) explicitly stated how months passed for Michael and still no changes in his height occured. Often in books the misconception is that things happen over night for the characters. We were also able to have a rich discussion about the difference between bullying and just being unkind as one of the characters teased Michael about his height. This story would also be a great introduction about the concept of perseverance and the importance of putting in the practice time.
June 1, 2021
I shelved this book as historical fiction because it accurately tells the story of how Michael Jordan became a successful basketball player but takes some liberty in assuming real conversations that may have taken place in Michael Jordan's life. This story tells about how Michael Jordan was a child trying to play basketball at the park with an older group of players who continually knock the ball down when Michael tries to take a shot. Michael has the support of his older brothers as well as his mother and father. When Michael appeals to his mother for help in growing taller to match the older boys, she suggests that he simply put salt in his shoes and pray to be taller. Michael isn't sure how salt will help, but he follows her directions while he stays home from the park for many months to practice shooting hoops at home. When Michael returns to the park, he hasn't grown any taller, but his practice and determination have made all of the difference. He makes the shot against the bigger team and wins the game for his brothers.
November 23, 2021
Salt in His Shoes: Micheal Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan is a great read for young kids looking to be inspired by one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Jordan, who is known for his famous years with the Chicago Bulls and his world renowned brand of shoes, was brought up differently than most kids. This story does a great job at captivating the authenticity of his come-up while also shining light onto the important values he learned. This biography type picture book is filled with facts stretching from the town he was born into to the goals and desires he had as a young boy. The author uses real life facts and puts it into an understandable and short story. Jordan was one to emphasize that if he can make it to the level he did, anyone can. The young audience reading this book can appreciate all the interesting facts, characters, and messages buried within this amazing text. To kids who love sports and biographies, this is a great place to start since it is filled with very interesting facts and is very well written.
April 23, 2019
Used for Final
Michael is a young boy who loves to play basketball, but being the shortest player makes things harder for him. After losing another game, he goes home and asks his mom what he can do to grow taller and her answer is to put salt in his shoes and pray. Michael does both and waits patiently, but after two months have gone by and he has not grown an inch, he begins to get even more upset. He stops playing basketball until his dad reminds him that it does not matter how tall he is, he was always a great basketball player because it was in his heart. This inspires Michael to run back to the courts where he helps his team win their game.
This was a very cute a quick read that inspires readers to follow their heart. It tells of the importance of family and trusting them. It would be a good book for students interested in sports or those who may feel a little down about something.
Michael is a young boy who loves to play basketball, but being the shortest player makes things harder for him. After losing another game, he goes home and asks his mom what he can do to grow taller and her answer is to put salt in his shoes and pray. Michael does both and waits patiently, but after two months have gone by and he has not grown an inch, he begins to get even more upset. He stops playing basketball until his dad reminds him that it does not matter how tall he is, he was always a great basketball player because it was in his heart. This inspires Michael to run back to the courts where he helps his team win their game.
This was a very cute a quick read that inspires readers to follow their heart. It tells of the importance of family and trusting them. It would be a good book for students interested in sports or those who may feel a little down about something.
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