Bettina and the Ball

The lesson presented in this autobiographical picture book is fairly universal, but Morrison’s stunning artwork provides former college basketball player Love’s story a strong sense of place. . . . The positive message and gorgeous images work together to remind readers that their passions can take them places they didn’t even know they wanted to go. This must-have for any picture book collection would make an excellent read to set the tone for growth mindset in students.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Both a moving story of the author’s own experience and a broader encouragement to readers to boldly pursue their passions, Love’s narrative is thoughtfully paced; the “ba-dum ba-dum!” of the ball and the slaps and swishes of the blacktop set a strong background beat. Morrison’s illustrations complement Love’s text superbly. . . . Dramatic angles and broad brushstrokes communicate the dynamic intensity of athletic movement as well as the subtle, significant poses of everyday life.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Powerful and inspiring! At the heart of this moving ode to basketball is the kind of love that propels readers to rise above any obstacle and soar.
—Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul, coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller Stamped (for Kids)

Prepare to be enthralled with this exhilarating story that follows a young girl with a bold, audacious heart who shows incredible courage on the basketball court. With powerful words and mesmerizing illustrations of dribbling, dancing, and dreaming, Bettina and the Ball helps children learn what it means to be free and to love. A must-have for every home, classroom, and library, this book proves to all children that they belong wherever their dreams take them.
—Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad, author of Cultivating Genius and Unearthing Joy

In her spectacular debut picture book, Dr. Bettina Love shows the reader that with practice, patience, persistence, and a passion for whatever you have your heart set on accomplishing, it’s all possible. With Love, it’s all possible.
—Derrick Barnes, two-time Kirkus Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author of I Am Every Good Thing

Bettina and the Ball is more than a story about sport, hard work, and family. It’s also a tale about what it’s like to find the thing that makes you feel most like yourself—love. And I love this book, because just like Bettina’s basketball, every time you put it down, it bounces right back into your hands, over and over again. Absolutely stunning.
—Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author and former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

Bettina and the Ball is as heartwarming as it is necessary. A tender story that reminds children and adults alike not only what love is, but what love can and should be in a world that needs more of it.
—Frederick Joseph, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Friend and This Thing of Ours