Ready, set, grab those brackets. March Madness is here. While you’re gearing up for the intensity of three straight weeks of college basketball and mulling over your bracketology, here are 19 basketball books for kids.
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Best Basketball Books for Kids in Grades K–2
Young readers can join in on the fun with stories about competitiveness, team pranks and sportsmanship.
1. Dino-Basketball by Lisa Wheeler
2. Allie’s Basketball Dream by Barber E. Barber
3. Cam Jansen: The Basketball Mystery by David A. Adler
4. MVP #4: The Basketball Blowout by David A. Kelly
5. Five Fouls and You’re Out by Val Priebe
6. Basketball Break by CC Joven
7. Point Guard Prank by Jake Maddox
Best Basketball Books for Kids in Grades 3–5
Middle grade readers can live vicariously through these young basketball stars. Along the way, they’ll learn that basketball might build confidence, but you have to keep your head in the game and make smart decisions.
8. Slam Dunk by Sharon Robinson
9. The Million Dollar Shot by Dan Gutman
10. STAT: Standing Tall and Talented #1: Home Court by Amar’e Stoudemire
11. Jump Shot by Ronde and Tiki Barber
12. A Whole New Ball Game by Phil Bildner
13. Double Team by Michael Teitelbaum
Best Basketball Books for Kids in Grades 6 and Up
Teen readers may be surprised to learn that basketball isn’t just all fun and games. Players’ lives are not always as exciting as they may seem. They face real challenges and responsibilities, sometimes out of their control. However, basketball can be a saving grace.
14. Hoops by Walter Dean Myers
15. Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time by Lisa Yee
16. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
17. Last Shot by John Feinstein
18. The Final Four by Paul Volponi
19. Boy 21 by Matthew Quick
20. Night Hoops by Carl Dueker
What are your favorite basketball books for kids? We’d love to hear about them in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, check out our list of Olympics books and funny books for kids.
