Our Middle Grade book spotlight this week is all about Basketball!! We are getting to that time of year, one of craziest sports events which is known as March Madness! Even though it may look a little different this year (kind of like everything else as well), it is still a basketball lover’s dream as it is nonstop action and games. We can start to get into the March Madness mood with some amazing fiction and nonfiction books about and inspired by this American pastime. If you love to play the game or just like to watch those who do, then you need to take a look at these titles. These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #youthbasketball as well as on Libby and Hoopla. Check back next week for a new Middle Grade book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
Summer Ball by Mike Lupica--Thirteen-year-old Danny Walker is leaving Middletown to test his basketball skills at Rightway basketball camp. Despite his small size, Danny is used to being the leader on his team, but at Rightway, he's not only the smallest player, he also seems to be the least confident. He must push himself beyond what he's used to and become a leader if he wants to keep up with his competition and battle old rivals.
Full Court Fever by Fred Bowen--With help from a new student and inspiration from an old magazine article, the players on Michael's seventh-grade basketball team hope to overcome their shortness and win their game against the eighth graders.
It’s A Numbers Game: Basketball by James Buckley--Investigates how mathematics are heavily involved in the sport of basketball--from the height of the basket to the twenty-four-second shot clock. Introduces readers to how to interpret the digits, dimensions, and stats of basketball.
Basketballogy by Kevin Sylvester--Cartoon-style illustrations, graphs and charts, and trivia help young basketball fans to understand the history, rules, players, facts, and other aspects of the game.
Strong Inside by Andrew Maraniss--Perry Wallace grew up during a period of American history when the country was just beginning to integrate African American and Caucasian children into the same classrooms. By the time Perry entered high school, his presence on the basketball court was getting attention from recruiters from some of the best colleges across the U.S. When he signed with Vanderbilt University, he never imagined the racially motivated hate he'd face. But he pressed on despite the hostility, proving himself to be more than just an exceptional basketball player—but also a brave, civil rights trailblazer.
Full Court Flash by Scott Ciencin--After Dash grows a foot over the course of a year, his basketball skills greatly improve. But now his teammates can't keep up with Dash's one-man show. Dash must prove to his teammates that he's not all flash, and no substance.