Hoop Genius: How A Desperate Teacher And A Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball Perfect Picture Book Friday

With perseverance and ingenuity, a teacher challenges a class of unruly students, and invents a sport that is still played by millions today.

text copyright John Coy 2013, illustration copyright Joe Morse 2013, Carolrhoda Books

This fascinating, true story depicts the plight of James Naismith, a young man in 1891, trying to teach a class of rambunctious students--a class so rowdy that two teachers had already quit! But not Naismith. With compassion and creativity, Naismith develops a game that is still beloved to this day, and has been an Olympic sport for nearly ninety years!

With illustrations that evoke the time period, and endpapers that portray the original draft of the rules of the game, this nonfiction picture book is captivating, right from the beginning. The story is fun, and often humorous, and readers might just find themselves wanting to go outside to dribble, pass, and shoot the ball! 

Title:  HOOP GENIUS:  HOW A DESPERATE TEACHER AND A ROWDY GYM CLASS INVENTED BASKETBALL

Author:  John Coy

Illustrator:  Joe Morse

Publisher:  Carolrhoda Books, 2013

Ages: 7-11

Themes: Sports, Resourcefulness, Perseverance, Teamwork, Problem Solving

Here are a few activities to consider, that align with the themes of this book:

• Go out and play basketball! Practice dribbling, passing and shooting the ball.
• Check out these downloadable activities.
• Conversation starters:  "If you could create a sport, what would it be?" "If you could change any rule in basketball, which rule would you change?" "When you feel rowdy, or full of energy, what activities help you get your energy out?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!