Andrew has had a lifelong passion for basketball. Now in the fifth grade, he has the chance to try out for the school team. He is confident he’s got what it takes to impress Coach, but, as his schoolfriends are all selected, he opens his own letter: “Thank you for trying out for the school basketball team. I am sorry to let you know that you did not make the team. I hope you will continue to work hard and try out again next year, Coach.”

How Andrew coped with this disappointment and used it as a spur to become a better, and ultimately successful, basketball player is the story told in this illustrated picture book. Written by Andrew’s proud mother Antonietta Tripodi Quinn, ANDREW CONQUERS THE COURT is a simple moral tale about how what might initially be seen as a setback could actually be the inspiration for even greater reward. Though young Andrew felt that he was already good enough to make the team, the coach’s judgement made him question his ability. Instead of accepting defeat, he decides that he will do everything it takes to make himself a better player. He won’t give up.

Though the book’s appeal may be mostly aimed at young sports players, its positive message translates to all areas of life—not just sporting prowess. Andrew takes his own inspiration from a quote by NBA legend Dwayne Wade that he has framed by his bed: “My belief is stronger than your doubt.” Self-belief and the never-give-up spirit are the messages at the heart of the book.

The book’s illustrations by Eva Morales are bright and clear. The inclusion of photographs of the real Andrew playing basketball at the end of the book reveal his cartoon avatar to be charmingly naturalistic. Morales’s depiction of movement in the sporting sequences are dynamic and well-rendered, with a nice balance of panel size and text to move the action forward.

A note at the end of the book reveals how Andrew’s college basketball career has continued. It might have been a nice touch for Andrew himself to have commented on his story and reflect on what it means to him now, but that’s a minor quibble.

Written by Antonietta Quinn and aided by charming illustrations by Eva Morales, ANDREW CONQUERS THE COURT is an engaging true story of overcoming disappointment and the power of self-belief.

~Kent Lane for IndieReader