The Horn Book Guide

SPORTS

Coy, John

Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball

32 pp. | Carolrhoda | March, 2013 | Trade ISBN 978-0-7613-6617-1 $16.95

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Joe Morse. Taking over an unruly gym class that had already run off two predecessors, James Naismith needs a game where "accuracy was more valuable than force." And so basketball is concocted. Coy's tight focus on the sport's initial season--only one point was scored in the first game--is immediately engrossing. Morse's kinetic paintings fill the spreads, capturing the game's combination of power and finesse. Bib.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013