H.O.R.S.E.: A Game of Basketball and Imagination

Two friends engage in a game of H.O.R.S.E. on a neighborhood basketball court. The game involves players taking turns making increasingly difficult basketball shots, with each player having to match the other's shot or receive a letter toward spelling out "HORSE." As their competition intensifies, the shots become more and more outrageous and impossible. The players describe shots that defy gravity, incorporate landmarks, and venture into pure fantasy. The illustrations blend real urban basketball courts with fantastical elements that expand along with the players' imaginations. Text and images work together to capture the rhythm and motion of basketball. This story celebrates the intersection of athletic skill and creative imagination, while highlighting the traditions of storytelling and competitive banter in urban basketball culture.

Readers appreciate the book's creative blend of basketball and imagination, with many noting how it captures playground trash-talking and one-upmanship in a playful way. Parents and teachers report that kids ages 6-12 engage with the increasingly outlandish basketball challenges. The illustrations receive frequent mention, with readers highlighting the urban setting and dynamic movement portrayed through the artwork. Several teachers note using it successfully for read-alouds. Some readers found the text hard to follow, mentioning that younger children struggled with the back-and-forth dialogue format. A few noted the book works better for basketball-familiar kids who understand the context. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (486 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (89 ratings) School Library Journal: Starred Review Sample review: "Perfect capturing of playground basketball culture - the boasting, the creativity, the community. The illustrations make you feel the energy." - Goodreads reviewer

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🏀 Author Christopher Myers is the son of celebrated children's author Walter Dean Myers, and they collaborated on several books together before Walter's passing in 2014. 🎨 Christopher Myers used a vibrant, energetic illustration style combining ink, gouache, and photos to capture the dynamic movement of street basketball. 🌟 The book's concept is inspired by the actual playground basketball game "H.O.R.S.E.," where players must copy each other's trick shots or receive a letter; spelling HORSE means losing the game. 🏆 H.O.R.S.E. received the 2013 Coretta Scott King Honor Award for illustration, recognizing outstanding African American authors and illustrators. 🎭 The story captures the tradition of "playing the dozens" - a form of verbal sparring common in African American culture - through the players' imaginative basketball challenges and playful trash talk.