# Basket Ball

**Author:** Kadir Nelson
**Grade range:** Grades 2–6
**First published:** 2026
**Page count:** 115
**Genre:** Picture Book
**ISBN-13:** `9780316603737`
**ISBN-10:** `0316603732`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-undefeated
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## 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

## Where this book is assigned

### Caldecott Medal

- **recommended** · 2nd grade — [source: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2020 Caldecott Medal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldecott_Medal)
- **recommended** · 3rd grade — [source: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2020 Caldecott Medal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldecott_Medal)
- **recommended** · 4th grade — [source: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2020 Caldecott Medal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldecott_Medal)
- **recommended** · 5th grade — [source: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2020 Caldecott Medal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldecott_Medal)
- **recommended** · 6th grade — [source: Caldecott Medal winners (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 2020 Caldecott Medal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caldecott_Medal)

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