[Mark Stewart,Mike Kennedy]Swish : The Quest for Basketball's Perfect Shot(pdf){Zzzzz}

From three-pointers to slam dunks, Swish: The Quest for Basketball's Perfect Shot goes beyond the record books and explores all aspects of making a basket. This book features amazing shots, player profiles, and tons of trivia. Authors Mark Stewart and Mike Kennedy cover basketball from the late 1800s to modern times, showcasing top male and female players both at the college level and in the pros.

Publisher: Lerner Publications (February 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0822587521
ISBN-13: 978-0822587521

Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 4–8—Stewart and Kennedy offer an engaging history of the sport, followed by profiles of some of the most impressive shots of all time and the players who made them. Whether they are discussing amazing feats at the college or professional level, the tone is conversational and informative. As students are reading the chapter on different types of shots, they might be surprised to learn that the slam dunk was originally considered poor sportsmanship. Plenty of action photographs complement the text. The authors point out that basketball is the one sport that women have played as long as men, and the book achieves a good balance of coverage of men's and women's accomplishments in the game. This title is not as broad in scope as John Hareas's Basketball (DK, 2003) or Keltie Thomas's How Basketball Works (Maple Tree, 2005), but it is a solid addition. Casual fans and die-hard followers of the game will find a wide range of information in an accessible and compact package.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
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From Booklist
With an emphasis on basketball shooting and a belief that young fans want to know more about the sport in general, this colorful book provides a little of everything. Following a chapter on basketball history, the discussion moves to “Buzzer Beaters,” memorable game-winning shots. Here, each double-page spread gives a few paragraphs of narrative about a game as well as photos of the action and short, illustrated profiles of notable players. A presentation on types of shots is peppered with the names of men and women who perfected them. The last chapters round up the most remarkable shots, discuss scoring feats, and give related stats. The wide pages offer plenty of room for well-spaced text, sidebars, and illustrations. Each page has at least one picture, with mostly color photos, and the many action shots make the book more exciting. With information on women’s and men’s basketball at both collegiate and professional levels, this is a nice addition to sports collections. Grades 5-8. --Carolyn Phelan

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

If you have a diehard young basketball fan in your house, you just might want to swish this one onto your gotta have list!
By D. Fowler HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on June 28, 2009
In 1891 the kids at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, were about to be introduced to a game that would save them from a lot of the same old dreary exercises they always were stuck with during the winter. Dr. James Naismith may have thought long and hard about his new creation, basket-ball, or it may have come quickly to him. He thought up thirteen rules, Pop Stebbens offered up two peach baskets and the game was an instant and long-lasting success.

In the "1930s and 1940s, the game `took off.'" It was hot and the makings of the modern game had begun. The game was maturing and a more strategic game was emerging. During this time there "were enough good players and enough fans for new professional leagues to start." In this book you'll get to take a look at most of the best players, men and women alike, to ever come out of the game. You'll read about exiting games, a controversial game between the Americans and the Soviets, loads of trivia, numerous different kinds of shooting (can you do a finger roll?), some truly astounding lucky shots, and more. Have you ever heard of anyone consistently scoring around 40 points a game? There was someone who did that, but you'll have to read the book to find out who it was!

This is a great book for the basketball fan. I've read many that are good, but tend to rely mostly on statistics to move the book along. This one is alive with information and is very vibrant. It's peppered with action photographs that will draw even the most reluctant reader to the end of the book. There are numerous informative sidebars and in the back of the book there are additional recommended book and website resources. If you have a diehard young basketball fan in your house, you just might want to swish this one onto your gotta have list!