Sports Royalty
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Black Diamond Kings: Heroes of Negro League Baseball
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Format: Hardcover
From Charles R. Smith Jr., with striking artwork by Adrian Brandon, comes an exuberant collection of poems honoring a dozen outstanding baseball stars from the Negro leagues.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the man you came to see,
strolling onto the field
cool
and confidently . . .
Baseball has been and always will be America’s pastime. And with the creation of the Negro leagues, men who were denied the chance to play professionally were finally able to participate in the sport they loved. The Negro leagues were always a richness of talent; it provided a space for community and inspired a passion for baseball for all who came to watch. Nothing beat watching iconic players like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Willie Wells. They, along with the nine other players celebrated in this collection, changed the trajectory of baseball forever with their incredible versatility in both skill and athleticism. Charles R. Smith Jr.’s dramatic and energetic poems are written with undeniable care as he pays homage to twelve of the greatest Black baseball players to ever play the game and are accompanied by stunning illustrations by Adrian Brandon. Back matter presents player notes and more context about the Negro Leagues.
Hoop Queens 2
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $15.99
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
Format: Hardcover
Charles R. Smith Jr. brings his high-energy verse to praise a new generation of WNBA basketball stars, paired with dynamic photos of the players in action.
Are your moves as smooth as A’ja Wilson’s? Do you make the game look effortless like Sue Bird? Are you a complete player like Candace Parker? A scoring machine like Diana Taurasi? Whether it’s the towering Brittney Griner, or Elena Delle Donne doing her thing, or Breanna Stewart with her big bag of tricks, Charles R. Smith’s indomitable wordplay revels in the superb talents of thirteen of the best female players in basketball. Matched with kinetic, stylized photos of the players, these upbeat poems capture the elite agility and skills the professionals bring to the game. End notes delve into how the author uses a variety of poetic forms and language to spotlight each athlete.
Featuring the players:
Sue Bird
Liz Cambage
Elena Delle Donne
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Brittney Griner
Jonquel Jones
Nneka & Chiney Ogwumike
Candace Parker
Breanna Stewart
Diana Taurasi
Courtney Vandersloot
A’Ja Wilson
Hoop Kings 2: New Royalty
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: March 19, 2024
Format: Paperback
“All-star–caliber poems inspired by all-star NBA players.” —Kirkus Reviews
What’s your game? Can you fly like Blake Griffin? Are you a lightning-fast force of nature like Russell Westbrook? Or are you a chameleon on the court, racking up nicknames like Steph Curry? From James Harden with his shimmy-shake-spin to “Lord of the Leap, Sir Alley of the Oop” Lebron James, here are a dozen profiles honoring the superb talents and skills of some of the best players in NBA basketball. With bold, graphic photographs and fun, accessible poems infused with his indomitable wordplay, Charles R. Smith Jr. captures the agility and finesse that each of these professionals brings to the game. Poem notes about each featured player offer further inspiration at the end.
Soccer Queens
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $15.99
Pub Date: April 11, 2023
Format: Hardcover
The Coretta Scott King Award–winning creator of Hoop Kings celebrates the skill and talent of top female soccer professionals—and pays homage to the legendary US World Cup team of 1999.
Soccer, fútbol, call it what you will—the sport commands worldwide attention, and Charles R. Smith Jr. pays tribute to the sport’s greatest US athletes in poems that hum with energy and life. Whether the subject is an escape artist like Rose Lavelle, a rocket like Megan Rapinoe, or the exploits of the legendary ’99ers, who kicked their names into history, this celebration of the finesse and ferocity of players from the Women's National Soccer League excels with dynamic rhyme and bold, graphic photo-illustration. Featuring current and past stars as well as emerging players—in cleats that “churn and burn and fly”—the twelve poems in this rapid-fire collection will inspire young poets and sports fans alike to find their game and be their best.
Hoop Queens
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: October 1, 2007
Format: Paperback
"Young basketball fans will have a hard time keeping still. . . . A great choice to energize poetry units." — Booklist
Margo Dydek, Ticha Penicheiro, Chamique Holdsclaw . . . these are just three of the twelve women profiled in a dynamic group of poems honoring some of the best female players in professional basketball. With action photographs and kinetic lyrics illustrating each player’s style, Hoop Queens will grab the attention of any kid who loves basketball — and score a slam-dunk with teachers of poetry.
An International Reading Association Children’s Choice
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A Chicago Public Library Best Book
Back matter includes notes on the poems and an author’s note.
Hoop Kings
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: October 1, 2007
Format: Paperback
With pumping, energetic, rap-inspired wordplay, Charles R. Smith Jr. profiles the distinctive styles of the best players in basketball
Tim Duncan cashes in double-digit points by banking it off the backboard. Kevin Garnett makes his new-and-improved moves in 3-D. As for Shaquille O’Neal, just see what it might take to fill his gargantuan shoes (shown actual size). With pumping, energetic, rap-inspired wordplay, Charles R. Smith profiles the distinctive playing styles of twelve of the best male players in basketball.
An International Reading Association Children’s Choice
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices List Selection
Back matter includes notes on the poems and an author’s note.

Black Diamond Kings: Heroes of Negro League Baseball
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: May 6, 2025
Format: Hardcover
From Charles R. Smith Jr., with striking artwork by Adrian Brandon, comes an exuberant collection of poems honoring a dozen outstanding baseball stars from the Negro leagues.
Ladies and gentlemen,
the man you came to see,
strolling onto the field
cool
and confidently . . .
Baseball has been and always will be America’s pastime. And with the creation of the Negro leagues, men who were denied the chance to play professionally were finally able to participate in the sport they loved. The Negro leagues were always a richness of talent; it provided a space for community and inspired a passion for baseball for all who came to watch. Nothing beat watching iconic players like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, and Willie Wells. They, along with the nine other players celebrated in this collection, changed the trajectory of baseball forever with their incredible versatility in both skill and athleticism. Charles R. Smith Jr.’s dramatic and energetic poems are written with undeniable care as he pays homage to twelve of the greatest Black baseball players to ever play the game and are accompanied by stunning illustrations by Adrian Brandon. Back matter presents player notes and more context about the Negro Leagues.
Hoop Queens 2
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $15.99
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
Format: Hardcover
Charles R. Smith Jr. brings his high-energy verse to praise a new generation of WNBA basketball stars, paired with dynamic photos of the players in action.
Are your moves as smooth as A’ja Wilson’s? Do you make the game look effortless like Sue Bird? Are you a complete player like Candace Parker? A scoring machine like Diana Taurasi? Whether it’s the towering Brittney Griner, or Elena Delle Donne doing her thing, or Breanna Stewart with her big bag of tricks, Charles R. Smith’s indomitable wordplay revels in the superb talents of thirteen of the best female players in basketball. Matched with kinetic, stylized photos of the players, these upbeat poems capture the elite agility and skills the professionals bring to the game. End notes delve into how the author uses a variety of poetic forms and language to spotlight each athlete.
Featuring the players:
Sue Bird
Liz Cambage
Elena Delle Donne
Skylar Diggins-Smith
Brittney Griner
Jonquel Jones
Nneka & Chiney Ogwumike
Candace Parker
Breanna Stewart
Diana Taurasi
Courtney Vandersloot
A’Ja Wilson
Hoop Kings 2: New Royalty
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: March 19, 2024
Format: Paperback
“All-star–caliber poems inspired by all-star NBA players.” —Kirkus Reviews
What’s your game? Can you fly like Blake Griffin? Are you a lightning-fast force of nature like Russell Westbrook? Or are you a chameleon on the court, racking up nicknames like Steph Curry? From James Harden with his shimmy-shake-spin to “Lord of the Leap, Sir Alley of the Oop” Lebron James, here are a dozen profiles honoring the superb talents and skills of some of the best players in NBA basketball. With bold, graphic photographs and fun, accessible poems infused with his indomitable wordplay, Charles R. Smith Jr. captures the agility and finesse that each of these professionals brings to the game. Poem notes about each featured player offer further inspiration at the end.
Soccer Queens
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $15.99
Pub Date: April 11, 2023
Format: Hardcover
The Coretta Scott King Award–winning creator of Hoop Kings celebrates the skill and talent of top female soccer professionals—and pays homage to the legendary US World Cup team of 1999.
Soccer, fútbol, call it what you will—the sport commands worldwide attention, and Charles R. Smith Jr. pays tribute to the sport’s greatest US athletes in poems that hum with energy and life. Whether the subject is an escape artist like Rose Lavelle, a rocket like Megan Rapinoe, or the exploits of the legendary ’99ers, who kicked their names into history, this celebration of the finesse and ferocity of players from the Women's National Soccer League excels with dynamic rhyme and bold, graphic photo-illustration. Featuring current and past stars as well as emerging players—in cleats that “churn and burn and fly”—the twelve poems in this rapid-fire collection will inspire young poets and sports fans alike to find their game and be their best.
Hoop Queens
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: October 1, 2007
Format: Paperback
"Young basketball fans will have a hard time keeping still. . . . A great choice to energize poetry units." — Booklist
Margo Dydek, Ticha Penicheiro, Chamique Holdsclaw . . . these are just three of the twelve women profiled in a dynamic group of poems honoring some of the best female players in professional basketball. With action photographs and kinetic lyrics illustrating each player’s style, Hoop Queens will grab the attention of any kid who loves basketball — and score a slam-dunk with teachers of poetry.
An International Reading Association Children’s Choice
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A Chicago Public Library Best Book
Back matter includes notes on the poems and an author’s note.
Hoop Kings
Series: Sports Royalty
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: October 1, 2007
Format: Paperback
With pumping, energetic, rap-inspired wordplay, Charles R. Smith Jr. profiles the distinctive styles of the best players in basketball
Tim Duncan cashes in double-digit points by banking it off the backboard. Kevin Garnett makes his new-and-improved moves in 3-D. As for Shaquille O’Neal, just see what it might take to fill his gargantuan shoes (shown actual size). With pumping, energetic, rap-inspired wordplay, Charles R. Smith profiles the distinctive playing styles of twelve of the best male players in basketball.
An International Reading Association Children’s Choice
A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age
A Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices List Selection
Back matter includes notes on the poems and an author’s note.