Basketball Legends: Ben Simmons

Basketball Legends: Ben Simmons by Kit Cross and Leigh Hedstrom (Albert Street Books, Allen and Unwin) PB RRP $12.99 ISBN: 9781761181276

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

Think you know a lot about basketball? Basketball Legends: Ben Simmons might have you thinking again. Not only is it jam-packed full of intriguing information about Australian basketball legend, Ben Simmons, but every fact and statistic you’d want to know about the sport in general is contained within a mere 123 pages.

For example, do you know what a double-double is? Or, for that matter, what a triple-double is?

And do you know where the Philadelphia 76ers got their name?

Perhaps – from the title – you can guess who was the first Australian to not only win Rookie of the Year in the NBA, but also receive an All-Star selection?

But, do you know which city has produced the most NBA Number 1 Draft Picks in the world?

No? You’ll need to get yourself a copy of this book then.

Fascinating facts and stats aside, author Kit Cross has done an amazing job of researching information that will really resonate with her audience and presenting it in a way that is accessible to younger readers – but she does not dumb things down. Leigh Hedstrom’s illustrations and the layout go a long way to supplementing the information, making the facts stand out and shine.

Full disclosure – prior to picking up this book, I knew a little about basketball (being a fan of the Canberra Cannons back in the day and, more recently, the UC Capitals), but I’d never heard of Ben Simmons! (Sssh – don’t tell anyone.) Moreover, I wondered whether the information in the book would be engaging enough to hold my interest.

I was pleasantly surprised. The blend of general sport facts and a closer and more personal look at one of the many legendary players means that the book is likely to resonate with a wider audience. Despite my initial hesitancy, I found that I devoured the facts in a very short time and was pleased to discover that there are at least three more books in this series by Kit Cross and Leigh Hedstrom – something for everyone with different sports represented, along with both male and female legends.

If you or your child are basketball fans, you’ll love Basketball Legends: Ben Simmons. If not, you will be by the time you’ve finished this easy but fascinating read. You may even be encouraged to head out and watch a game or sink some hoops. At the very least, you will be a walking factsheet about all things Ben Simmons and basketball.

Designed for independent readers aged 6–10, Basketball Legends: Ben Simmons is sure to be enjoyed by fans of all ages and is an excellent introduction to the world of factual texts. Readers may decide to read the book from cover to cover, or just dip in and out at will, and I fully expect to see some of these facts turn up at school trivia nights.