Around The World

by John Coy, Antonio Reonegro (Illustrator), Tom Lynch (Illustrator)

A fantastic journey around the world is about to begin. Starting in downtown New York City and traveling to Australia, China, Turkey, Nigeria, France, Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico, and back to New York again, kids play their hearts out in a grueling, winner-take-all, pick-up basketball game. Full court passes in a gym in Shanghai are effortlessly picked off in Istanbul with a turn of the page. Thwack! Readers will challenge themselves to keep pace with these young players while taking in the sights of the Eiffel tower and other landmarks that frame the action in each city.

Genres: Picture Books, Graphic Novels

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2005

About the author

John Coy is the author of young adult novels, the 4 for 4 middle-grade series, and fiction and nonfiction picture books. John has received numerous awards for his work including a Marion Vannett Ridgway Award for best first picture book, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor, Bank Street College Best Book of the Year, Notable Book for a Global Society, and the Burr/Warzalla Award for Distinguished Achievement in Children’s Literature. He lives in Minneapolis and visits schools around the world.

Reviews

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book seamlessly transitions to nine different basketball games happening between children in different countries to make it seem like one game is being played around the world. The readers see basketball played in New York City, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil, France, Serbia, Turkey, Nigeria, and China.

The illustrations are in a loose graphic novel style using bold colors in acrylic on canvas. This book would be an excellent introduction to graphic novels and a strong independent read for a transitional reader who still needs heavy picture support.

The authors and illustrators also provide a map of the world with the settings of the story identified, a glossary of the foreign words that are used, and directions on how to play the basketball game "Around the World."

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because it uses a lot of specific vocabulary that would only be understood if the reader already knows or plays basketball. The terminology could be front-loaded or the reader could use the picture support to guess what is being described, but only a basketball player would understand all of the text.

[Josianne Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a basketball player so most of the terms here were unfamiliar but I loved the idea that basketball is an universal language, played with equal enthusiasm around the world.

[Grosso · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gabe really likes this book and both kids like the maps and different countries visited. I find the writing difficult and you need to know basketball terms, including slang. It also has a comic book feel, which is not my favorite but the kids both enjoy the pictures.

[Machim]

Children's Books

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great graphics!This book doesn't make a lot of sense to me, I just don't know basketball well enough, I guess. I could see it becoming a favorite of some students.