Cover of Basket Ball

Basket Ball

by Kadir Nelson

Basket Ball by Kadir Nelson is assigned in US schools at grades 2–6. It appears across 1 curriculum reference, sourced from state DOE pages and AP/IB/Common Core syllabi. Every citation below links to the primary source.

This page shows where Basket Ball is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Grade range
Grades 2–6
Pages
115
Reading time
about 2h 5m (est.)
First published
2026
Genre
Picture Book
ISBN-13
9780316603737
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Where to find this book

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About this book

Award-winning creator Kadir Nelson delivers the perfect gift for basketball fans of any age—a beautifully illustrated history of the game and its key players over the years—in this companion to his bestselling We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. Basketball has evolved by leaps and bounds since its origin over 125 years ago, but what remains is the passion of the players, the heat of competition, and supreme strategy and athleticism on the court. In this visual tour de force, celebrated artist Kadir Nelson weds his love for the game with showstopping paintings that bring its heart-pounding history to life. The sage voice of an elder player narrates the journey from the early days of the slow game of “basket ball” to today’s dazzlingly athletic and fast-paced sport. Engaging

Why widely assigned

This Picture Book title, typically at grades 2–6. Written in the 2020s; cited across 1 curriculum framework.

Where this book is assigned

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Common questions

What grade level is Basket Ball?
Basket Ball is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 2–6. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
How long does it take to read Basket Ball?
It takes about 2h 5m to read Basket Ball (115 pages) at an average adult reading pace of about 250 words per minute — roughly 125 minutes. Faster or slower readers will vary; the estimate is a planning guide for assigning the book.
What curricula assign Basket Ball?
Basket Ball appears on reading lists for Caldecott Medal. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Basket Ball banned in schools?
Basket Ball does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

Why this book is on this list

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 2–6 — drawn from state ELA frameworks and AP/IB syllabi citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 1 curriculum on this site (see “Where assigned” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
Not yet documented in a state-level framework on this site.
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: read-aloud.