2020 has been a big year for athlete activism. When the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks boycotted their playoff game against the Orlando Magic to protest the shooting of a black man in Kenosha, WI, many sports fans were shocked. But this non-violent action, and similar protests by other high-profile athletes like Colin Kapernick (NFL), Megan Rapinoe (NWSL) and Maya Moore (WNBA) have their origins in the actions of an early NBA player, Elgin Baylor.
You can discover more about Baylor’s connection to current athlete protests and hear about the book’s creation in our interview with Minnesota Public Radio.
Above the Rim—How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball, illustrated by Frank Morrison and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, is a celebration of an innovative, under-recognized athlete, the very first athlete to boycott a game (January, 1959) because of racial injustice. The book launched on October 6th, and if you missed our virtual event at Children’s Book World and want to order a signed copy, you can do that here.
Above the Rim has been out for just a few weeks, but we are already delighted with the reader response. It is a Junior Library Guild Selection and has received starred reviews from, School Library Journal, Booklist and The Horn Book. Frank and I are getting used to virtual events and have learned more about each other’s process, too! Stay tuned for more on this title as we speak with educators, librarians and readers!
Click here to read our interview with Elizabeth Bird at Fuse #8.
Click here to read Alyson Beecher’s review at Kid Lit Frenzy.
Click here to watch my video interview with Stacey Shubitz at Two Reading Teachers. |
