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Hoops
Poetry comes alive on the basketball court. Feel the rough roundness of the ball. Celebrate the soaring freedom of the dunk. Savor the moment when all eyes focus on the long three-pointer.
In dynamic words and pictures, award-winning author Robert Burleigh and Caldecott Honor-artist Stephen T. Johnson capture the energy and passion that electrifies every moment in a game of hoops.
In dynamic words and pictures, award-winning author Robert Burleigh and Caldecott Honor-artist Stephen T. Johnson capture the energy and passion that electrifies every moment in a game of hoops.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1997
3 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Robert Burleigh
71 books47 followersOver the past 35 years, I have published poems, reviews, essays, many filmstrips and videos, and more than 40 children's picture books.
Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!
In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.
-from robertburleigh.com
Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!
In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.
-from robertburleigh.com
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
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September 29, 2020Burleigh's Hoops is a taste of Alexander's The Crossover for younger readers. This book of poetry ventures through a basketball game, describing the feel of the ball in your hands, the eyes on your shot, the anticipation at the basket. Burleigh's verses entice the senses, and Johnson's illustrations capture energy and love for the game in each frame.
I am a fan of how this book uses poetry and art to approach basketball. Even for those who aren't basketball fanatics, this book captures bodies in motion and the energy and emotions associated with those in a way that will appeal to many people. Johnson's chalk pastel illustrations are great--they capture the spirit of the game with their quick, bold style. However, I noticed that the book only shows male characters, which might lose some girl readers.
I am glad to have found this book because I loved The Crossover but did not think it was totally appropriate for some elementary readers. Hoops would be valuable in a poetry unit to show that poetry can be exciting and related to students' interests, particularly those of boys. I would like to show students various styles of illustration and have them choose one to best represent their poem and explain why (like an artist's statement).
I am a fan of how this book uses poetry and art to approach basketball. Even for those who aren't basketball fanatics, this book captures bodies in motion and the energy and emotions associated with those in a way that will appeal to many people. Johnson's chalk pastel illustrations are great--they capture the spirit of the game with their quick, bold style. However, I noticed that the book only shows male characters, which might lose some girl readers.
I am glad to have found this book because I loved The Crossover but did not think it was totally appropriate for some elementary readers. Hoops would be valuable in a poetry unit to show that poetry can be exciting and related to students' interests, particularly those of boys. I would like to show students various styles of illustration and have them choose one to best represent their poem and explain why (like an artist's statement).
July 14, 2022
This book by this author read a little more as a poem but it still fills like a commercial. With short sentences that are meant to empower you. Works in some avenues but as a children’s book it’s just kind of boring.
December 28, 2018
Beautiful and descriptive, this poem about basketball is wonderful!
May 29, 2021
Great poetry and voice. Nice poetry about basketball and capturing the art of basketball.
March 25, 2025
Good poem, good pictures! I don’t even like Basketball, but it was good.
June 15, 2016
It all started with a chair, a basketball, and 2 teams. Our number was called and our goal was to score a basket, dribble back to the chair, and sit down in order to earn a point for our team. It was middle school PE that this game occurred during and when I began my love for the game. It was fast-paced, heart pumping, and exciting. I was in my zone from when my number was called till I sat back down. My peers on the sideline did not matter; they weren’t there. I had one goal, and that was to score. Burleigh writes to capture moments like this in Hoops.
It’s a street game. Boys playing. They anticipate each other’s moves such as when “your arm shooting up through a thicket of arms.” We the reader get a feel for their actions based on the short, simple lines, not sentences as there aren’t any. They are short like the thoughts running through one’s head in the middle of a game but also demonstrate the change of the game as well. The game also has fluidity which Burleigh demonstrates with dashes such “two-of-you rhythm” or “know-where-everyone-is without having to look”. We can’t forget that each move in a game affects the next.
The same applies to Johnson’s illustrations which are larger-than-life to reveal how much more the game means to the players. It’s their break from reality, a time to cut loose. The sentence length depicts this as well through the game of basketball being short, their break from life is short. We also know that the focus is the basketball since Johnson draws the ball as the focal point on each page. It is the basketball that drives these boys just like it did for me.
Basketball is a calling, a passion. You don’t have to know every aspect of the game, and you don’t have to play for an organized team. When that ball hits the asphalt or the court, your heart pounds a bit faster. The adrenaline begins to rush. “Hoops. The game. Feel it.”
It’s a street game. Boys playing. They anticipate each other’s moves such as when “your arm shooting up through a thicket of arms.” We the reader get a feel for their actions based on the short, simple lines, not sentences as there aren’t any. They are short like the thoughts running through one’s head in the middle of a game but also demonstrate the change of the game as well. The game also has fluidity which Burleigh demonstrates with dashes such “two-of-you rhythm” or “know-where-everyone-is without having to look”. We can’t forget that each move in a game affects the next.
The same applies to Johnson’s illustrations which are larger-than-life to reveal how much more the game means to the players. It’s their break from reality, a time to cut loose. The sentence length depicts this as well through the game of basketball being short, their break from life is short. We also know that the focus is the basketball since Johnson draws the ball as the focal point on each page. It is the basketball that drives these boys just like it did for me.
Basketball is a calling, a passion. You don’t have to know every aspect of the game, and you don’t have to play for an organized team. When that ball hits the asphalt or the court, your heart pounds a bit faster. The adrenaline begins to rush. “Hoops. The game. Feel it.”
March 17, 2011
Hoops is a great picture book that is written in poetry form. The first thing that pops out are the beautiful pictures and bright colors. The words are surrounded by black boxes and are scattered throughout the pages in different places. Robert Burleigh, the author, came to speak at my school this year and it was kind of funny to think of him writing this book. I found the words to have so much passion and insight about being one with a basketball that it surprises me that those ideas came from him.
There was one particular line in Hoops that I found to be so perfect that I had to share it with a colleague. "Your arm shooting up through a thicket of arms." This sentence is one I would use as a mentor text when teaching children about adding detail into their writing. I have a few more texts I use for this style of metaphor lesson. Another example that is similar is a sentence from a Ralph Fletcher book describing a "nagging splinter in the mind" This direct description is so challenging for students to do. They tend to use similes much more regularly which are easier than a metaphor comparison.
I look forward to using Hoops in my classroom.
There was one particular line in Hoops that I found to be so perfect that I had to share it with a colleague. "Your arm shooting up through a thicket of arms." This sentence is one I would use as a mentor text when teaching children about adding detail into their writing. I have a few more texts I use for this style of metaphor lesson. Another example that is similar is a sentence from a Ralph Fletcher book describing a "nagging splinter in the mind" This direct description is so challenging for students to do. They tend to use similes much more regularly which are easier than a metaphor comparison.
I look forward to using Hoops in my classroom.
April 13, 2016
Burleigh, Robert. Hoops. Turtleback Books, 2001.
This book describes the poetic text of basketball. Each page has a vivid illustration that compliments the one sentence that helps you understand the drama and victory of the game. This book truly is an involving experience that allows you to feel the motion of basketball, as well as, the moment of teamwork, friendship and dedication. Although I am not a basketball player, I felt like I was a player while reading this book of poetry and rhythm for the game of basketball. This is a simple text poem that would be great for introducing poetry to my elementary students. This book uses many similes, metaphors and personification to describe the game of basketball. This would also be great for middle school students to describe their favorite sport using figurative language. Target audience: 6-12 (Children’s Poetry)
March 6, 2014
I'm not that into basketball but this book was great. Very poetic and the illustrations are beautiful. Definitely a good book to read aloud to students to introduce poetry and literary devices such as alliterations and figurative language.
"The feathery fingertip roll
and soft slow drop.
Feel the throat on fire.
Feel the asphalt burning beneath your shoes.
The two-of-you rhythm.
The know-where-everyone-is without having to look."
"The feathery fingertip roll
and soft slow drop.
Feel the throat on fire.
Feel the asphalt burning beneath your shoes.
The two-of-you rhythm.
The know-where-everyone-is without having to look."
June 27, 2008
I like Robert Burleigh's poetry in set in motion to Stephen Johnson's illustrations. I preferred "Hoops" to his soccer story "Goal." The colors, words and flow of the story appealed to me more.
Despite the fact that it's a quick book to read, it's really geared more at older kids, those that know a bit about the sport, because it uses technical terms.
Despite the fact that it's a quick book to read, it's really geared more at older kids, those that know a bit about the sport, because it uses technical terms.
November 26, 2008
The book Hoops is about a kid and his friend loves basketball. Then one of the kids mom hurt her leg. The kid is forced to stop playing basketball and take care of his mom and a scout wants him to try out for the NBA. The kid try's to find and excuse to get to out of the house to play basketball with his friends.
October 12, 2011
the book hoops is a very good .. i really like this book because of the sport its about ...baskitball ... the first 10 pages i have been reading have been about this kid growing up and becoming lazy witch notifes that its ganna be a long story about the change in feelings about this sport and how life can effict you playing a sport ...
October 22, 2013
Hoops by Robert Burleigh is a great and easy read and I recommend this book to people who like basketball and poetry books. This book is about the feelings and sensations when you are playing basketball. I like this book because I can relate to the feelings and sensations because I play basketball.
October 22, 2008
Hoops is a beautifully illustrated book written in poetic form. The pictures are so real that I could picture my 8th grade students playing basketball. Especially since so many of them wrote poems about basketball
October 21, 2011
Love this book and the my junior high kids love this book we well. It uses lots of similes, metaphors and personification to describe the game of basketball. Great journel entry for having kids describe their favorite sport using figurative language.
September 7, 2009
this is a poem about basketball. It portrays the feelings and movements of the game
November 7, 2009
Great book to teach word choice!
August 2, 2011
Gorgeous pictures of African Americans. All about the beauty and excitement of playing basketball.
October 26, 2012
This book is pretty tight its like a book about basketball and there looking for a way to go pro
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July 16, 2015You will like this book if you like basketball. The book is a poem form and teaches a little bit about the game and its rules.
July 7, 2015
Great way to introduce boys, particularly reluctant readers, to poetry. Kudos to Johnson's fine illustrations.
May 30, 2016
A great way to introduce and inspire poetry to the athletic minded. Moving illustrations and beautiful writing can reach out and grab anyone's attention and make them feel the passion in Hoops.
May 12, 2009
Basketball poem, large illustrations.
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April 12, 2013its awsome
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews