Basketball Dreams

October 15, 2022
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather. In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: "My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true," he writes, "so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too." So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn't one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)

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November 1, 2022
Preschool-Grade 2 In this picture-book memoir, NBA star Chris Paul tells what he learned by observing his grandfather, who ran his own service station. As a child, Chris would often stop by and watch him work. Along the way, Papa Chilly inspired his grandson and became his model for how to live. Observing him, Chris learned to rise early and work hard at his job, be polite to his elders, and always be ready to listen and lend a helping hand to his teammates, neighbors, and friends. On the basketball court, when young Chris was teased about his small stature, he would remember Papa Chilly telling him to "show by doing," and reply by shooting a three-pointer. Lovett's digital artwork is bold, energetic, and emotionally expressive. A combination of childhood memoir and tribute to a beloved relative, Paul's simply expressed personal narrative comes across as a celebration without sentimentality. While young aspiring athletes will find inspiration and advice here, the simply expressed, fundamental values are applicable far beyond sports and can lead to success in any field.

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February 20, 2023
NBA All-Star Paul gives his grandfather a starring role in this winning picture book celebration of family and basketball. First-person narration quickly establishes granddad, known as Papa Chilly, as a role model whose achievements offer inspiration: “Papa Chilly works hard,/ showing/ by/ doing,/ the first African American to own a/ service station around here.” Employing the refrain “I have basketball dreams,” the young speaker describes attending morning practices, overcoming obstacles, supporting teammates, and generally spreading kindness, linking each act to Papa Chilly’s example. Digital renderings by Lovett alternate between portraits of Papa Chilly working in coveralls and scenes of the athletic youth dribbling on the court and off. Concluding shots of game night offer a fittingly upbeat close: with “my family beside me, my basketball dreams,/ like Papa Chilly’s dreams,/ just/ might/ come true.” An author’s note concludes. Ages 3–6.