Lucy Tries Basketball

June 1, 2019
Lucy discovers that the way to learn to play basketball is with friends on a neighborhood court. Lucy loves playing in the park, and one day she and her friends join their friend Ava and her cousin in their new favorite sport: basketball. Pro player Jermaine, aka "Coach J," teaches all the basics--footwork, quick passes, dribbling, and a variety of shots. But he also encourages the players to keep trying when they miss, stresses the value of teamwork, and focuses on fun as they learn and later play a practice game. At the end of the workout, Coach J invites the young players to watch him and his team play. Written in loose rhyming couplets, the text has many near rhymes and inconsistent meter. While the storyline is predictable, the book is a good introduction to basketball terms, and young basketball players and fans will appreciate reading about themselves. Vivid silhouetted figures against a white background portray male and female players of several races; Lucy herself is white while Ava and Coach J are black. One young player competes from a wheelchair. A half page of backmatter explains the history of basketball, the NBA and its players, and wheelchair basketball, and one entry also explains the three-on-three basketball that the children play. The book publishes in a simultaneous French edition translated by Rachel Martinez. It's a slam dunk. (Picture book. 5-8)

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September 1, 2019
Grades K-3 In this Lucy Tries Sports title, Lucy's at the playground when her cousin Ava invites her to the basketball court? Come join us, Lucy! / We'll learn from Jermaine. / He's a professional player / and really knows the game. Once Lucy and other friends assemble, Jermaine enthusiastically explains and demonstrates basketball elements, such as passing, dribbling, shooting ( Hold the ball up like this. / Now aim, then flick your wrist ), emphasizing teamwork and having fun. Things conclude with a half-court match of three-on-three; then later, the kids watch Jermaine's arena game. Rhyming couplets keep a lively pace, though they don't always scan, and bright cartoon illustrations depict actions and scenarios with directional symbols. The inclusive cast of multicultural kids playing together includes one in a wheelchair. A few appended Fast Facts include information about basketball's founder, the NBA's origins, and the Canadian wheelchair league. While some terms may need explaining, the peppy, supportive approach and general overview may also pique interest and encourage learning about and playing the sport. French-language edition also available.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)