Aim High, Little Giant, Aim High! is a story about Taína, a nine-year-old Afro Boricua basketball player growing up in Brooklyn during a pandemic who learns valuable life lessons from family, friends, and the community, both on and off the court.
\"Peeeace!\" That’s how Taina opens this book, and that’s how we get a tour of Brooklyn: through Taina’s eyes! There’s the biddy court where Papa is doing a b-ball clinic, and where Taina is joined by friends Theophilus, Ireyna, Mamushi and Ibrahim. Then there are the legendary parks of Brooklyn—Bed Stuy to Brownsville to Tillary Park—and all the legendary players, the folklore of NYC playground basketball culture. At home and on the court, Taina learns math and stories through the city and basketball.
\"Pa’lante, siempre pa’lante!\" Mama says this is what the Young Lords Party used to shout for social justice. Taina’s mother says it means \"forward, always forward!\" and that’s where Taina is going, forward in life!
Author Bobbito García is an NYC native who has put an indelible footprint on multiple urban movements.
As the progenitor of sneaker journalism, García penned his landmark Source article “Confessions of a Sneaker Addict” in 1990, then in 2003 became the critically acclaimed author of Where’d You Get Those? NYC’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 (Testify Books). He also wrote the foreword for A History Of Basketball In Fifteen Sneakers (Workman, 2023), the introduction for Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture (Rizzoli, 2015), and contributed an essay to City/Game: Basketball in New York (Rizzoli, 2020). In 2005, ESPN’s “It’s The Shoes” series, hosted by Bobbito, became the first show on the subject in broadcasting history.
A former professional basketball player in Puerto Rico, García performed in the groundbreaking Nike “Freestyle” commercial. In 2007, the brand released seven co-designed Air Force 1 sneakers bearing his name. The voice of EA Sports’ popular NBA Street video game is also a world-renowned DJ, who has spun World, Soul and Jazz music at Lincoln Center, Central Park SummerStage, and the Smithsonian (DC).
As an award-winning filmmaker, García has directed Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC (PBS, NETFLIX), Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives (SHOWTIME, NETFLIX), and NY Times “Critics’ Pick” Rock Rubber 45s (Smithsonian African American Film Festival 2018 official selection). Transitioning to TV, he also directed eight “SneakerCenter” episodes for ESPN+. The documentarian’s photography has appeared in campaigns for Nike, has been licensed to Foot Locker and Patta for apparel, and has been exhibited at the Museum of the City of New York as well as multiple international galleries.
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Author Bobbito García is an NYC native who has put an indelible footprint on multiple urban movements.
As the progenitor of sneaker journalism, García penned his landmark Source article “Confessions of a Sneaker Addict” in 1990, then in 2003 became the critically acclaimed author of Where’d You Get Those? NYC’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 (Testify Books). He also wrote the foreword for A History Of Basketball In Fifteen Sneakers (Workman, 2023), the introduction for Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture (Rizzoli, 2015), and contributed an essay to City/Game: Basketball in New York (Rizzoli, 2020). In 2005, ESPN’s “It’s The Shoes” series, hosted by Bobbito, became the first show on the subject in broadcasting history.
A former professional basketball player in Puerto Rico, García performed in the groundbreaking Nike “Freestyle” commercial. In 2007, the brand released seven co-designed Air Force 1 sneakers bearing his name. The voice of EA Sports’ popular NBA Street video game is also a world-renowned DJ, who has spun World, Soul and Jazz music at Lincoln Center, Central Park SummerStage, and the Smithsonian (DC).
As an award-winning filmmaker, García has directed Doin’ It In The Park: Pick-Up Basketball, NYC (PBS, NETFLIX), Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives (SHOWTIME, NETFLIX), and NY Times “Critics’ Pick” Rock Rubber 45s (Smithsonian African American Film Festival 2018 official selection). Transitioning to TV, he also directed eight “SneakerCenter” episodes for ESPN+. The documentarian’s photography has appeared in campaigns for Nike, has been licensed to Foot Locker and Patta for apparel, and has been exhibited at the Museum of the City of New York as well as multiple international galleries.
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Publication date: October 17, 2023
"A totally original, lush, vivid and vibrant educational kaleidoscope wherethrough a basketball lens we find community and the loving embrace of lifelong personal growth. This is what 21st Century learning looks like. Required reading for young minds of any age." —David Hollander, author of How Basketball Can Save the World “The images leap, and the story teaches us how to nurture and respect the best parts of our inner child. What a beautiful and necessary tribute to this generation of mighty little leaders rising up in today’s ever-changing times.” —aja monet, poet and author of My Mother was a Freedom Fighter “A unique reframing of basketball delivered through New York City’s diversity, geometry and spirituality.” —Max Resetar, editor of SLAM MAGAZINE “Aim High! honors the history of social justice and includes illustrations that capture the beauty of Afro-Latin history, while creating a visually appealing and accessible narrative for kids and families from all walk sof life.” —Marley Dias, founder of #1000blackgirlbooks and author of Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! “A brilliant, beautiful and spiritual basketball revelation disguised as a children’sbook.” —Scoop Jackson, author of The Game Is Not A Game
