Above the Rim

Winner of the 2021 Orbis Pictus Award!“A new generation of fans will be introduced to the legendary basketball player Elgin Baylor. . . . A timely read about an NBA player who spoke out against Jim Crow injustice.” —Kirkus Reviews“Inspirational and timely.” —School Library Journal Before there was Michael Jordan or LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo, there was Elgin Baylor, shooting, passing, and soaring through the air like no basketball player before him. Here is the story of the basketball icon and African American civil rights advocate, told with beautiful artwork and poetic text:“In one smooth move,like a plane taking off,he would leap . . . higher and higherand higher—as if pulled by some invisible wire,and just when it seemed he’d have to come down, no!” Hall-of-famer Baylor was one of basketball’s greatest players—an innovative athlete, team player, and quiet force for change. One of the first professional African American players, he inspired others on and off the court. But when traveling for away games, many hotels and restaurants turned Elgin away because he was Black. One night, Elgin had enough and staged a one-man protest that captured the attention of the press, the public, and the NBA. With lyrical, moving text from an award-winning author and exquisite, slam-dunk illustrations from an award-winning artist, Above the Rim is a peek into the early days of the NBA, a poetic telling of the life of an underrecognized African American athlete, and a celebration of standing up for what’s right.