Hoop Genius
How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball
Taking over a rowdy gym class right before winter vacation is not something James Naismith wants to do at all.
The last two teachers of this class quit in frustration. The students—a bunch of energetic young men—are bored with all the regular games and activities. Naismith needs something new, exciting, and fast to keep the class happy—or someone’s going to get hurt. Saving this class is going to take a genius.
Discover the true story of how Naismith invented basketball in 1891 at a school in Springfield, Massachusetts.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-0-7613-6617-1
|
$19.99 | |
|
9798348056087
On pre-order until 01/01/2026
|
$10.99 | |
|
978-1-4677-6727-9
|
$24.99 | |
|
978-1-7284-6479-4
|
$34.99 | |
|
978-1-7284-6478-7
|
$6.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 2 - Grade 5 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 3 |
| Genre | Picture Books |
| Category | 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Narrative Nonfiction |
| Copyright | 2013 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Carolrhoda Books ® |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 32 |
| Publication Date | 2013-01-01 |
| Reading Counts! Level | 5.7 |
| Text Type | Narrative Nonfiction |
|---|---|
| BISACS | JNF054020, JNF025200, JNF050000 |
| Dewey | 796.323'2 |
| Graphics | Full-color illustrations |
| Dimensions | 9.25 x 11 |
| Lexile | 880 |
| ATOS Reading Level | 4.6 |
| Accelerated Reader® Quiz | 156779 |
| Accelerated Reader® Points | 0.5 |
| Features | Awards, Original artwork, Reviewed, Starred Reviews, and eSource |
Author: John Coy
John Coy is the author of young adult novels, the 4 for 4 middle-grade series, and nonfiction and fiction picture books including Hoop Genius, Game Changer, Their Great Gift, Dads, If We Were Gone, and Where We Come From. He has received numerous awards for his work including a Marion Vannett Ridgway Award, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor, a Bank Street College Best Book of the Year, and the Burr/Warzalla Award for Distinguished Achievement in Children’s Literature. John lives by the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
Illustrator: Joe Morse
Joe Morse is an award-winning illustrator and artist. His work has graced everything from billboards in England to coins in Canada. He directs the Illustration Degree program at Sheridan Institute outside of Toronto. Joe lives in Toronto with his wife, the illustrator/designer Lorraine Tuson, and their 2 children.
Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!
Hoop Genius
Taking over a rowdy gym class right before winter vacation is not something James Naismith wants to do at all. The last two teachers of this class quit in frustration. The students—a bunch of energetic young men—are bored with all the regular games and… View available downloads →
Awards
- National Endowment for the Humanities Nonfiction Booklist for Young Readers
- Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Honor Book
- Illinois Monarch Award Nominee
- Volunteer State Book Award Nominee
- Virginia Readers' Choice Award Reading List Selection
- Star Of The North Picture Book Award Nominee
- South Carolina Book Award
- North Carolina Children's Book Award Nominee
- Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
- Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Choices
- Cream of the Crop for Children's and Young Adult Literature
- Black Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee
- Booklist Top 10 Sports Books for Youth
Reviews
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“The fun here is in the contrast between Coy’s straightforward narration and the stylized mayhem of Morse’s cast of maroon-shirted, all-American-looking college guys.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books