From the first jump ball and its humble beginnings at a YMCA with a couple of peach baskets, to the final buzzer and the glam of an NBA slam, basketball bounces onto your bookshelves with "J is For Jump Shot. "As with the other Sleeping Bear sports titles (7 titles and over 400,000 in print) it is the perfect introduction to the game. Whether reluctant or voracious, readers will be entertained as they learn the rules, fundamentals, famous players and plays.

Young fans and old will find nothing but net with Mark Braught's dynamic illustrations as their many questions are answered -- What was the role of Dr. James Naismith in developing the game? Why do referees sometimes place their palm on their head? And who scored more points than any other NBA player?

Mike Ulmer has written several books for Sleeping Bear Press including "H is for Horse: An Equestrian Alphabet. "He lives in Hamilton, Ontario.

Mark Braught illustrated last fall's Sleeping Bear Sport title "T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet. "He lives outside Atlanta, Georgia.