Module Eleven...Basketball Belles

Basketball Belles:  Basketball belles: How two teams and one scrappy player put women's hoops on the map by Sue Macy.  Illustrated by Matt Collins.

Macy, S.  (2011).  Basketball belles:  How two teams and one scrappy player put women's hoops on the map.  New York, NY:  Holiday House.


Synopsis:

This is a very good book that discusses the very first women's college basketball game between Stanford and UC Berkley centered around the main character of Agnes Morley a young woman raised in New Mexico on her family's range.  It is set 1896.  It is a true story written from Agnes' point of view.  The book describes the rules for women's basketball and how women started playing the games.  The girls had to play indoors and with only women in attendance because UC Berkley had a rule against men watching women play basketball.  The back of the book gives a brief history of Agnes' life and a timeline of women's basketball through history.  


Reaction:  I loved this book.  I thought it was very well written and the illustrations are wonderful.  The book doesn't talk down to the reader either.  It also doesn't talk about the get upset about the division in women's sports.  It just tells it like it is.  There is no agenda here.  


Reviews:  

Nightingale, S. (2011). Basketball Belles: How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women's Hoops on the Map. Library Media Connection, 30(1), 95.

Basketball Belles: How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women's Hoops on the Map Macy, Sue Illustrated by Matt Collins. 2011. 32pp. $16.95 he. Holiday House. 978-0-8234-2163-3. Grades 3-6.  Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text, EBSCOhost (accessed April 7, 2013).  

Women's basketball is gaining popularity thanks to the dedication of countless players and coaches. Macy chronicles the very first intercollegiate women's basketbal game between the University of California-Berkeley and Stanford University in 1896. The narrator is Agnes Morley who was sent to Stanford to acquire an education and social graces, but instead acquired a love of the game ofbasketball. James Naismith's game was adapted for women by dividing the court into three sections; female players could not travel up and down the court. Macy captures the competitive spirit of the teams and their desire to win. The narrative is accompanied by colorful, bold illustrations, the vivid uniforms pop off the page. The players' body language and facial expressions are portrayed realistically; large illustrations cover double-page spreads. An extensive author's note gives additional background information, and a timeline of women's basketball provides a historical framework. A list of books and places to visit offers additional opportunities for learning more about this fascinating subject. Basketball Belles is a treasure and would be a welcome addition to a school library collection.

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BASKETBALL BELLES How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women's Hoops on the Map. (2011).Kirkus Reviews, 79(4), 317.  Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text, EBSCOhost (accessed April 7, 2013).

In 1896, a historic basketball game was played between the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford University. It was the first women's intercollegiate game, played five years after basketball was invented. Agnes Morley, a rancher's daughter, narrates the story and excels as a Stanford player during the groundbreaking event. The focus is on the play-by-play of the game, which had different rules for women and was attended by 500 cheering female spectators. Collins' digitally created artwork captures the dynamic game and develops the characters, from Morley's determination as she brands a calf on her ranch to her team's exuberance at their victory in the game. While seemingly meant to introduce readers to the history, of women's basketball, the story is so brief as to seem slight. Readers will crave more information: What types of shoes do the players wear? Why are the nets closed? How did this particular game come about? What happens next? An author's note fleshes out some biographical details about Morley and the other placers and discusses women's basketball in America. A timeline is included, but unfortunately it ends in 1997 with the introduction of the WNBA. A resource section lists books and places to visit, and a photograph of the 1896 Stanford women's basketball team concludes the book. The excellent backmatter, however, doesn't compensate enough for the too-slim story. (Nonfiction 7-11).

Library Use:  This books will be a great book to use for displays for sports history, women in sports, and women's history.