Swish!

by Bill Martin Jr., Michael Sampson, Michael Chesworth (Illustrator)

A fast-paced book about two girls' basketball teams fighting for the championship.

"The Cardinals and Bluejays are in the final game of the championship. The tension builds as the clock ticks away. The score is tied at 44/44 with one second left . . . who will win the game?"

New interest in women's basketball, including the 1996 Olympic team and the heavily watched 1996 NCAA women's championship, makes Swish! an exciting addition to the list. Bill Martin, Jr. and Michael Sampson have created an action-packed text filled with suspense. Illustrations by Michael Chesworth put the reader on the court as these tough players battle it out.

Genres: Picture Books, Sports, Childrens, Storytime

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Bill Martin, Jr. (1916-2004) was an elementary-school principal, teacher, writer, and poet. His more than 300 books, among them the bestselling classics Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See ; Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear ; Panda Bear Panda Bear What Do You See ; and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom , are a testament to his ability to speak directly to children. Martin held a doctoral degree in early childhood education. Born in Kansas, he worked as an elementary-school principal in Chicago before moving to New York City, where he worked in publishing, developing innovative reading programs for schools. After several years, he devoted himself full-time to writing his children's books. He lived in New York until 1993, when he moved to Texas. He lived in the east Texas woods, near the town of Commerce, until he passed away in 2004.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/billma...

Reviews

[Abraham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to read out loud to kiddies. When I read it, I always try to put a little Marv Albert into my voice. It's got that breathless, galloping style of a sports announcer or of many Dr. Seuss books. You can read it as fast as you can flip the pages and then slow down at certain spots to add to the drama! And while Dr. Seuss books can feel a little long and repetitive, this is a comparatively short book that drives hard from start to end.

[Madison McDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book to be exciting because it was about a championship basketball game. I typically enjoy books that are about sports. I liked that it was about female sports which is not something you see in books as much as male sports. I liked the book overall but it was not my favorite. By the end of the book I was kind of bored and felt like it had been dragged on.

[Andrea Hallahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Swish!” is an exciting book about two girl basketball teams competing for the championship. I like that this book focuses on a group of competitive girls playing a sport because most sports books are about men. This book kept me engaged and interested as it is fast paced and shows a lot of action.

[Jordan Berday · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun for me personally, as I grew up in a girl's basketball family. I love that this book rhymes and captures the sport of girls basketball as it has grown in popularity at a national level. Little sports enthusiasts will love this one and little girls rarely see early readers with competitive games starring girls.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you know the rules for basketball, this book is very exciting and shows action! This is in our writing curriculum under grammar.

[Mic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would be really fun for a sports-themed storytime.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Martin Quest #37
Average sports yarn about basketball - typical that it is all a last second victory.
Swish is the sound of ball going through net.

[Jeani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun for kids who enjoy sports stories or when sharing onomatopoeia.

[A Ngua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think the drawing is very good and the story is easy to read ٩(•̤̀ᵕ•̤́๑) Yay!

[Myka Ellenwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Grade Level: K-2
I thought that this was a good book. It teaches about basketball and also keeps the students interested. The word structure makes in interesting to young readers. I would recommend this book to any sport loving young reader.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Swish! is a book that starts during that last few minutes of a basketball game. The score is tied and the pressure is on, but only one team goes home a winner. This book would be perfect for kids who love basketball. It also had a rhyming scheme which made it fun to read.

[Victoria Dimmitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place during the last few minutes of a baseketball game. This book would be a good read for a child who likes to play basketball or any sport. This book would be a good fit for a child around 2nd grade.

[Heila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a favorite of our family's. Exciting and such a great read-aloud. Fast-paced, like sports commentating, and with fun rhymes. It's the story of a pivotal game in a girls' basketball season. Also satisfying is seeing talented, natural girl athletes in a book.

[Tracy Schillemore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok story. It is no Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great story about a game of basketball. I loved that it featured girls!

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhythm and rhyme captures the drama of the last minute of play in a close-scoring game of hoops. Great for read-aloud and younger readers.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

It rhymed, it didn't rhyme. It was kind of all over the place. Didn't like it.