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Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters
The true story of the high-flying Harlem Globetrotters -- the team that changed basketball forever.
In this book you will find one-finger ball-spinning, rapid-fire mini-dribbling, and a ricochet head shot!
You will find skilled athletes, expert players, and electrifying performers -- all rolled into one!
You will find nonstop, give-it-all-you've-got, out-to-win-it, sky's-the-limit BASKETBALL!
In this book you will find one-finger ball-spinning, rapid-fire mini-dribbling, and a ricochet head shot!
You will find skilled athletes, expert players, and electrifying performers -- all rolled into one!
You will find nonstop, give-it-all-you've-got, out-to-win-it, sky's-the-limit BASKETBALL!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published November 10, 2020
2 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Slade
157 books130 followersSibert honoree author of more than 150 books for chlldren.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
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December 6, 2020I remember watching the Globetrotters on television as a kid. Meadowlark Lemon was my fave along with Curly. Until reading this informative picture book, I never knew the history or how hard the players worked at a game they loved to play. Too bad the archival photos were crammed onto the end-pages making half of them inaccessible if you borrow the book from the library as I did. When I purchase this for my Picture Book Biography unit, I'm not taping down the cover.
Tate's illustrative style is perfect for the this project. He captures the energy of the team brilliantly.
Tate's illustrative style is perfect for the this project. He captures the energy of the team brilliantly.
March 28, 2021
Loved learning more about this basketball team. I think there is so much evolution from their beginnings to the team they eventually became. I would love a sequel that shares more information about that!
March 18, 2021
As a child of the 70's, I remember the excitement we all felt when we see saw ads for "the slam-dunking, alley-ooping, high-flying Harlem Globetrotters." Fred "Curly" Neal and Meadowlark Lemon were household names. I remember begging my dad to buy tickets.
I had no idea until I read this book that the Globetrotter teams were created in response to racism (they couldn't get on the all white mainstream teams) and that part of their mission was to show everyone they were capable of playing basketball (even better than their white counterparts) and that "all people deserved to be treated the same."
Slade, a "go to author" for me, tells this story with lots of playful language (e.g., "With their fancy footwork, fast passes, and one-handed dunk shots, they played the most breathtaking, groundbreaking ball the country had ever seen") that students will enjoy hearing read aloud.
Tate, whose illustrations are eye-popping charming, reveals the dynamism of this team.
Lots and lots of room for thoughtful conversations with k-4 students during an interactive read aloud. Of course, just read it aloud first for the PURE JOY this book offers. Then return to specific pages and ponder questions like-
*How does this illustration reveal the appeal of the Globetrotters?
*What makes this book fun to read?
*How do the author and illustrator reveal the hardships AND joy of this team?
*How is perseverance a theme in this story?
PAIR THIS TEXT with ABOVE THE RIM: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball (Bryant & Morrison, 2020). Both books address the talent of the athletes AND racial issues in professional basketball and how the NBA made changes as a result. (Above the Rim is a longer and may be better with 3rd grade and up.) There could be a lot of power in looking at two-page layouts in each book - side by side.
PAIR WITH CURRENT NEWS ON RACIST ISSUES IN SPORTS. While we want to celebrate the Globetrotters achievements on this issue, we also don't want to give our students a false sense that there are no longer issues. This is a great opportunity to talk about tough issues that are still a part of our society.
I had no idea until I read this book that the Globetrotter teams were created in response to racism (they couldn't get on the all white mainstream teams) and that part of their mission was to show everyone they were capable of playing basketball (even better than their white counterparts) and that "all people deserved to be treated the same."
Slade, a "go to author" for me, tells this story with lots of playful language (e.g., "With their fancy footwork, fast passes, and one-handed dunk shots, they played the most breathtaking, groundbreaking ball the country had ever seen") that students will enjoy hearing read aloud.
Tate, whose illustrations are eye-popping charming, reveals the dynamism of this team.
Lots and lots of room for thoughtful conversations with k-4 students during an interactive read aloud. Of course, just read it aloud first for the PURE JOY this book offers. Then return to specific pages and ponder questions like-
*How does this illustration reveal the appeal of the Globetrotters?
*What makes this book fun to read?
*How do the author and illustrator reveal the hardships AND joy of this team?
*How is perseverance a theme in this story?
PAIR THIS TEXT with ABOVE THE RIM: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball (Bryant & Morrison, 2020). Both books address the talent of the athletes AND racial issues in professional basketball and how the NBA made changes as a result. (Above the Rim is a longer and may be better with 3rd grade and up.) There could be a lot of power in looking at two-page layouts in each book - side by side.
PAIR WITH CURRENT NEWS ON RACIST ISSUES IN SPORTS. While we want to celebrate the Globetrotters achievements on this issue, we also don't want to give our students a false sense that there are no longer issues. This is a great opportunity to talk about tough issues that are still a part of our society.
December 23, 2020
Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters is a children's picture book written by Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Don Tate. It is a lively look at the history of the Harlem Globetrotters.
The Harlem Globetrotters is an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, and comedy in their style of play.
Slade's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Slade has done careful, thorough research, easily engaging young readers as they learn about the Globetrotters' groundbreaking history. Robust backmatter bolsters the account, including a detailed timeline that’s thoughtfully printed on the inside pages of the endpapers so that pasted-down jacket flaps will not obscure any of it. Tate’s dynamic digital pictures capture the players' perseverance as they prove instrumental in integrating pro basketball and score legions of fans, and a comprehensive timeline rounds out the book.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. After Black members of a 1922 championship high school team from Chicago's South Side are barred from competing at the next level, they band together in this true story. In 1927, the team that will become the Harlem Globetrotters takes to the road in a Model T, picking up games with anyone who would play, despite being turned away from hotels and eateries. When locals resent the team beating home players, the Globetrotters develop their now-trademark tricks and footwork to win crowds over.
All in all, Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters is a dynamic style of the Globetrotters and how they influenced American history.
The Harlem Globetrotters is an American exhibition basketball team. They combine athleticism, theater, and comedy in their style of play.
Slade's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Slade has done careful, thorough research, easily engaging young readers as they learn about the Globetrotters' groundbreaking history. Robust backmatter bolsters the account, including a detailed timeline that’s thoughtfully printed on the inside pages of the endpapers so that pasted-down jacket flaps will not obscure any of it. Tate’s dynamic digital pictures capture the players' perseverance as they prove instrumental in integrating pro basketball and score legions of fans, and a comprehensive timeline rounds out the book.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. After Black members of a 1922 championship high school team from Chicago's South Side are barred from competing at the next level, they band together in this true story. In 1927, the team that will become the Harlem Globetrotters takes to the road in a Model T, picking up games with anyone who would play, despite being turned away from hotels and eateries. When locals resent the team beating home players, the Globetrotters develop their now-trademark tricks and footwork to win crowds over.
All in all, Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters is a dynamic style of the Globetrotters and how they influenced American history.
December 21, 2020
Long ago, my husband and I saw the Harlem Globetrotters and they were fabulous! Suzanne Slade brief text tells the story nearly in motion like the players, starting with boys in Chicago's South Side, through years of play and recruiting, tours in small U.S. country towns, finally leading to tours all over the world. A few highlights include their win over the all-white Minnesota Lakers. Not long after, teams began to recruit black players. Don Tate's illustrations barely allow these Globetrotters to sit. They're always dribbling that ball, twirling it on one finger, making one-handed dunk shots. Some of the players are named, but most of the story is the long history and the opening page is a timeline! Letters at the back from Slade and Tate give some added interesting information.
Children who read this and want more, they can find it on the internet, including some brief clips of the team in action on YouTube. They've canceled a world tour because of the pandemic, but there are dates shown about resuming in 2021.
Children who read this and want more, they can find it on the internet, including some brief clips of the team in action on YouTube. They've canceled a world tour because of the pandemic, but there are dates shown about resuming in 2021.
January 27, 2021
This was such an interesting book with great opportunities for discussion with my kindergartener and 3rd grader. We had recently read a book about Jackie Robinson (Play Ball by Stephen Krensky) which takes place almost the same year as this story begins so it was interesting for us to see that parallel.
I am familiar with the Harlem Globetrotters, but I knew nothing about how they began, and how they began is just fascinating. I think so many people think of them as this fun, silly, and also talented team, but knowing how they started as this group of black players not allowed to play professional basketball league, really just makes the team all that more special.
After reading the book, we watched a video of the modern day Harlem Globetrotters which my daughters loved, and even then you can compare and contrast the recent video to the book and how the team got started (women are now on the team, the diversity of their audience, even different uniforms, etc.)
I am familiar with the Harlem Globetrotters, but I knew nothing about how they began, and how they began is just fascinating. I think so many people think of them as this fun, silly, and also talented team, but knowing how they started as this group of black players not allowed to play professional basketball league, really just makes the team all that more special.
After reading the book, we watched a video of the modern day Harlem Globetrotters which my daughters loved, and even then you can compare and contrast the recent video to the book and how the team got started (women are now on the team, the diversity of their audience, even different uniforms, etc.)
January 15, 2022
"The team that brought black and white America closer together brought the world a little closer together too."
The Harlem Globetrotters started out as a very talented team from Wendell Phillips High. Because they were all black and it was 1926, they weren't going to be allowed to play in the NBA. So they formed their own team and traveled the country playing in "barns, basements, even the bottom of a dried up swimming pool." They won almost every game "But hometown fans didn't like out-of-town hotshots skunking their team." So they added some ballhandling tricks to delight the crowds. Finally, the Globetrotters got the chance to play the Minnesota Lakers, an NBA team. Things began to change after their victory over the Lakers. The Globetrotters had become the most popular team in America and NBA owners finally woke up to the fact that black players should be recruited to their league.
Includes a timeline, extensive author's note and a small bibliography.
The Harlem Globetrotters started out as a very talented team from Wendell Phillips High. Because they were all black and it was 1926, they weren't going to be allowed to play in the NBA. So they formed their own team and traveled the country playing in "barns, basements, even the bottom of a dried up swimming pool." They won almost every game "But hometown fans didn't like out-of-town hotshots skunking their team." So they added some ballhandling tricks to delight the crowds. Finally, the Globetrotters got the chance to play the Minnesota Lakers, an NBA team. Things began to change after their victory over the Lakers. The Globetrotters had become the most popular team in America and NBA owners finally woke up to the fact that black players should be recruited to their league.
Includes a timeline, extensive author's note and a small bibliography.
March 30, 2025
This book really is a Slam Dunk! Suzanne Slade has outdone herself with research and delivery on this one. Beginning with a timeline on the first inside page of the book and older black and white photos on the back of the cover throughout the whole book, we learn the magic of changing perceptions in a time when people with black skin were not always welcome around our country. It is interesting to me that they traveled the world. (I did not remember that.) I guess racial issues really our an American issue. I knew they had played professional teams, but did not realize those games may be one reason why are professional teams were integrated in the first place. Don Tate, a legendary illustrator seems to have so much fun with this book. I guess when your subject is a bunch of silly stunt loving basketball players, you have lots of options.
I am certain this book will be loved when I add it to both of my elementary school collections!
I am certain this book will be loved when I add it to both of my elementary school collections!
April 7, 2023
Today’s book review celebrates the sports accomplishments, cultural legacy, and social justice advocacy of the Harlem Globetrotters. This story takes readers across the world alongside Harlem Globetrotters' journey to becoming America’s Ambassadors of Goodwill.
Segregation laws couldn’t stand in the way of their Black Excellence. The Trotters loved basketball and reimagined physical spaces to play the game in barns, basements, and even the bottom of a dried-up swimming pool when the traditional courts were restricted to Whites Only. They performed ballhandling tricks and skills that redefined athletic performance and entertainment.
Through the language of basketball, the Trotters used their gifts, talents, and innovation to change the sport of basketball and the world. The Globetrotters proved that “all players -all people- deserve to be treated the same.”
Segregation laws couldn’t stand in the way of their Black Excellence. The Trotters loved basketball and reimagined physical spaces to play the game in barns, basements, and even the bottom of a dried-up swimming pool when the traditional courts were restricted to Whites Only. They performed ballhandling tricks and skills that redefined athletic performance and entertainment.
Through the language of basketball, the Trotters used their gifts, talents, and innovation to change the sport of basketball and the world. The Globetrotters proved that “all players -all people- deserve to be treated the same.”
February 14, 2021
I've seen the Harlem Globetrotters several times and remember with great fondness their extraordinary talent - both for comedy and for sheer athleticism. This lively picture book captures this important aspect but the heart of the book lies in the history of the team and the racism that lies at the core of the team's beginnings.
Slade and Tate team up skillfully here, pairing dynamic vocabulary and illustrations that perfect for their subject. Tate's elongated and energetic figures bounce around the pages wonderfully reflecting the action on the court.
Back matter includes an extensive Author's Note and an Illustrator's Note which provide additional information and insight. End papers include a lengthy timeline and photos.
This one's a slam dunk!
Slade and Tate team up skillfully here, pairing dynamic vocabulary and illustrations that perfect for their subject. Tate's elongated and energetic figures bounce around the pages wonderfully reflecting the action on the court.
Back matter includes an extensive Author's Note and an Illustrator's Note which provide additional information and insight. End papers include a lengthy timeline and photos.
This one's a slam dunk!
March 2, 2021
Loved loved LOVED this picture book biography of my childhood heroes. Told in a lilting narrative style, this book focuses on the creation and obstacles of the Harlem Globetrotters team. The author highlights a few stars and a few specifics, but leaves most of the hard facts for the entertaining endpapers. Well-done and sure to spark historical and social conversations from a totally age-appropriate starting point. Don Tate's energetic illustrations convey some of the humor, heart, and hilarity of the team members through the years. Highly recommended all around. A ReFoReMo 2021 recommendation for lyrical language.
September 9, 2021
A picture book history of how the Harlem Globetrotters got started, developed their iconic skilled but goofy manner of play, helped bring down the color barrier in the NBA, and have served as goodwill ambassadors for the United States for many years.
A fascinating little history of the Harlem Globetrotters. It's very enticingly illustrated, and highlights some very important issues that the Globetrotters have addressed just by playing a solid and entertaining game of basketball. Lots more historical info and illustration research notes in the back of the book. Highly recommended to Globetrotter fans and basketball lovers.
A fascinating little history of the Harlem Globetrotters. It's very enticingly illustrated, and highlights some very important issues that the Globetrotters have addressed just by playing a solid and entertaining game of basketball. Lots more historical info and illustration research notes in the back of the book. Highly recommended to Globetrotter fans and basketball lovers.
September 17, 2021
The Harlem Globetrotters started off in the southside of Chicago. Forbidden to play in any of the NBA teams because they were black, this team set out as a travel team that pretty much defeated almost all of their opponents on the road. Not only were they amazing athletes, but what set them apart was their gift to entertain.
Having seen the Globetrotters play as a child, reading this book brought back the memories I still have of watching them play, fool around, laugh and entertain the audience with all their basketball tricks and hilarious team antics on the court. I enjoyed learning about their history and the obstacles they had to overcome as a black team in that time.
Having seen the Globetrotters play as a child, reading this book brought back the memories I still have of watching them play, fool around, laugh and entertain the audience with all their basketball tricks and hilarious team antics on the court. I enjoyed learning about their history and the obstacles they had to overcome as a black team in that time.
May 10, 2022
Who wouldn't want to know more about the Harlem Globetrotters or find out about them for the first time? What a wonderful non-fiction picture book with simple text teaching elementary readers about the formation and travels of an extraordinary basketball team. The in-depth timeline and extra information included at the book's end extend the target age range into the middle grades. Slade's text is enhanced by Don Tate's (Carter Reads the Newspaper, The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, William Still and His Freedom Stories +) gorgeous illustrations done digitally with Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint Pro. A winner for readers from grades 1-6.
A 2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.
A 2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.
January 24, 2021
This wasn’t my favorite book but I think it might be because I’m not all that into basketball. I do think it would interest kids, especially if shown clips of the Globetrotters. I like that the books shows their determination and struggle although I did find the pace of the book to be slightly off (I can’t really explain why though 🤷🏻♀️). I like that there were exciting movement words that were highlighted in different colored text. I enjoyed Tate’s illustrations as I usually do. So while it wasn’t /my/ favorite book, I still plan on purchasing it for my school library.
May 4, 2021
The story of how the Harlem Globetrotters came to be a team and grew in popularity, becoming the team they are today. This book takes us through the time of segregation, through the civil rights and the 1st black players in the NBA, to the 1st woman joining a men's basketball team. The timeline found on the end pages at the beginning and end of the book is thorough and informative. I love the almost whimsical feel of the illustrations. This was a fun and informative book.
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Teaching points:
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October 3, 2021
Don Tate's Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions has been one of our school favorites for the past couple of years, so I was especially excited to read Swish! It did not disappoint. Suzanne Slade's narration begs to be read aloud, but it's the illustrations that make it so fabulous.
October 30, 2021
Review is part of Cybils Awards
Non fiction picture book about the Harlem Globetrotters.
This is a fun , colorful and engaging picture book about how the Harlem Globetrotters came to be. We all know the modern day Harlem Globetrotters, but if you have ever wondered what was the motivation for this team to form, then this is the book for you. Simple text and cartoon like drawings will engage the youngest of readers. Fun read! dont miss this one!
Non fiction picture book about the Harlem Globetrotters.
This is a fun , colorful and engaging picture book about how the Harlem Globetrotters came to be. We all know the modern day Harlem Globetrotters, but if you have ever wondered what was the motivation for this team to form, then this is the book for you. Simple text and cartoon like drawings will engage the youngest of readers. Fun read! dont miss this one!
March 11, 2022
What a spectacular story! I had no idea that the Harlem Globetrotters had such a significant history and made such a difference within racial inequality. The book is well researched and includes a lengthy afterword and numerous resources if readers want to continue reading. This story needed to be told, and I think Slade and Tate did a wonderful job. The illustration style is very unique (unlike anything I've ever seen) and many of the full-length pages utilize movement of the 2d characters to advance the plot. Very special indeed.
June 28, 2022
Reading 2022
Book 18: Swish Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters by Suzanne Slade
From the Texas Bluebonnet List 2022. A picture book, reviewing with two others as number 18. This book also hits one for @Melanatedreader 's challenge #20booksbyblackwomen.
Synopsis: The true story of the high-flying Harlem Globetrotters -- the team that changed basketball forever.
Review: A cool book with a history I did not know about. I have been to a Harlem Globetrotters show and it is a great time. Nice to read the history behind the team. My rating 4 ⭐️
Book 18: Swish Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters by Suzanne Slade
From the Texas Bluebonnet List 2022. A picture book, reviewing with two others as number 18. This book also hits one for @Melanatedreader 's challenge #20booksbyblackwomen.
Synopsis: The true story of the high-flying Harlem Globetrotters -- the team that changed basketball forever.
Review: A cool book with a history I did not know about. I have been to a Harlem Globetrotters show and it is a great time. Nice to read the history behind the team. My rating 4 ⭐️
July 4, 2022
The TLA Bluebonnet committee has picked another winner with this book! History at its best, told in such a fun way! Don Tate, as always, created illustrations that add to the book, both in their accuracy and in their artistry. The timeline, selected sources and credits, and More About The Trotters backmatter provide an extra layer for the reader to keep what they read in context and make the history teacher in me happy! All in all, a book that I am excited to share with my students! Two thumbs up!
December 19, 2020
What a remarkable book this is, and I am a tiny voice among many more empowered ones to say so. They text reveals the injustice and hardship, but also the joyful physicality of the Harlem Globetrotters. The reasons behind their need to take this alternative approach to sharing their talents will be revealing to many. I was aware, and yet the facts left me fuming. Even so, their unequalled talent, their global success, and Don Tate’s illustrations are celebrations of magnificence.
February 20, 2021
Honestly, I'd never thought of the Harlem Globetrotters as ground breaking. They've always been there. They wer good basketball players, but also clowns and entertainers. They had a slick show. They were on TV in animated shows and in basketball games and in real-life as they toured the US.
It's interesting to realize that they started as a way for black basketball players to continue playing post high-school at a time when pro basketball teams wouldn't hire blacks.
It's interesting to realize that they started as a way for black basketball players to continue playing post high-school at a time when pro basketball teams wouldn't hire blacks.
April 2, 2021
This is a fun book about the history of the Harlem Globetrotters. It discusses how they started as a group before the Civil Rights era. There is a timeline at the front and back of the book. Be sure to read the Author and Artist notes at the end of the book. The illustrations are colorful and expressive throughout the book. It is a book full of action and fun, serving as both a history and tribute to an incredible team in basketball. Highly recommended for Grades 3-5.
July 25, 2021
I first learned about the Harlem Globetrotters when they made a guest appearance in an old Scooby-Doo episode (they showed up in three episodes total but that isn't mentioned in this book). I was probably 5 or 6, but I've been interested in them ever since. This book had fun, dynamic illustrations and an engaging narrative. It is a great introduction to the Globetrotters and I hope it sparks an interest in young readers.
April 22, 2022
Delightful history of the Harlem Globetrotters. From their scrappy start to being ‘America’s Ambassadors of Goodwill’, also details TRS discrimination the team and players faced, as well as how their talent helped them break into the all-white NBA. Includes a timeline, and a short ‘More about the Trotters’. Engaging illustrations.
Monarch 2023 nominee
Recommend for school library purchase, good addition for sports section
Monarch 2023 nominee
Recommend for school library purchase, good addition for sports section
October 24, 2022
3.5 stars.
This is a really interesting and important story, well-told by Slade. Tate's illustrations are dynamic and fun. I agree with another reviewer that it was a mistake to put the archival photos of the team on the inside covers of the book, where they are largely obscured. I would have loved to be able to look at them more closely, but I couldn't see fully half because the cover is taped down (library book).
This is a really interesting and important story, well-told by Slade. Tate's illustrations are dynamic and fun. I agree with another reviewer that it was a mistake to put the archival photos of the team on the inside covers of the book, where they are largely obscured. I would have loved to be able to look at them more closely, but I couldn't see fully half because the cover is taped down (library book).
June 28, 2024
This was just as fun as watching the Globetrotters play, even as it deals with some heavy topics--namely, racism--and that's mostly due to the illustrations. But I'd be remiss if I didn't say that the tone of the text completely matches the illustrations. I especially love that the emphasis here is not just how amazing and delightful the team is but also how they were able to use basketball (basketball!) to make real social change. Amazing.
March 22, 2023
Swish! was a super fun book to read, the book was all about the history and becoming of the Harlem Globetrotters. I actually read this book with my clinical class and all the students were super interested in this book and asked a lot of questions about the team. I definitely would read this to my future students, it's very engaging and the illustrations are super creative and descriptive.
September 13, 2024
I never knew all this history about the Harlem Globetrotters! It’s so cool to hear about all the things they did, including helping to break the color barrier in men’s basketball. This is a clearly well-researched book with vibrant illustrations that really get you into the game.
Mia’s Year of Books: Day 187
Mia’s Year of Books: Day 187
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews