Basketball: From tip-off to slam duck – the essential guide    by Clive Gifford Order:  USA  Can Kingfisher, 2013 (2013) Hardcover     Reviewed by Bob Walch Beautifully illustrated with page after page of color, action photos, this volume covers the essentials of basketball. After a short history of the game there are introductory chapters on the court, scoring, and the equipment needed to engage in the sport. Next up is a discussion of the basic skills one must foster to play basketball reasonably well. These include dribbling, passing and shooting the ball. After that the would-be basketball player needs to know something about pivoting, faking , making simple shots like lay-ups, rebounding and defending an opponent. Besides the essential skills necessary to play the game, the author looks at a number of drills and some of the basic plays that can be utilized by all levels of athletes. Since the sport is played on a number of skill and age levels, a discussion of college basketball, the NBA and the international game can be found at the back of the book along with a discussion of some of the legends of the game like Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Michael Jordan and LeBron James as well as women such as Lauren Jackson and Cheryl Miller. Both boys and girls can benefit from reading this sports guide and coaches working with young players will find it helpful as well. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews