Hoop Dancer Determination

By Jake Maddox and Jesus Aburto

Tobias Wilson has a secret. For the past two years, since attending a Choctaw Nation powwow with his family, he's been teaching himself how to hoop dance. But when his best buddy Declan discovers him dancing, it isn't long before his whole class knows. Once the secret is out, Tobias has the opportunity to share his dancing at the spring talent show, but he's not sure he wants that. Is he ready to share his Native dance with others or will he stop dancing altogether?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Aug 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781666344981

Jake Maddox

Who is Jake Maddox? Athlete, author, world-traveler – or all three? He has surfed in Hawaii, scuba-dived in Australia, and climbed the mountains of Peru and Alaska. His books range from the most popular team sports to outdoor activities to survival adventures and even to auto racing. His exploits have inspired numerous writers to walk in his footsteps – literally! Each of his stories is stamped with teamwork, fair play, and a strong sense of self-worth and discipline. Always a team-player, Maddox realizes it takes more than one man (or woman) to create a book good enough for a young reader. He hopes the lessons learned on the court, field, or arena and the champion sprinter pace of his books can motivate kids to become better athletes and lifelong readers.

Book preview

Jake Maddox Sports Stories: Hoop Dancer Determination by Stacy Wells, Illustrated by Jesus Aburto

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Chapter 1: Rolling Hoops

Chapter 2: Hoop Dancing 101

Chapter 3: When Hoops Fall

Chapter 4: No Robots Here

Chapter 5: Keeping Cool

Chapter 6: The Announcement

Chapter 7: Auditions

Chapter 8: Time Off

Chapter 9: Hooping Again

Chapter 10: The Spring Show Off

Author Bio

Illustrator Bio

Glossary

More about Hoop Dancing

Discussion Questions

Writing Prompts

Explore More

Copyright

Back Cover

Cover

Title Page

Table of Contents

Start of Content

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back cover

CHAPTER 1

ROLLING HOOPS

Thirteen-year-old Tobias Wilson’s alarm clock beeped. The early morning sun played peekaboo through the single window in his room. He groaned, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and stood.

Time to get to work, he said. The hoops are calling.

Tobias threw on basketball shorts, an old T-shirt, and shoes. He ran his hand through his dark hair. Then he tied a purple bandana around his head.

His mom and sisters were still asleep, so he tiptoed through the house. He grabbed his equipment bag and went out the back door.

The chill in the air pricked his skin. But he knew he’d warm up fast once he started dancing. This was Tobias’s favorite time of the day. Just him and his hoops.

He turned on his music, keeping the volume low to not disturb the neighbors. Then he laid two hoops on the ground, keeping the third in his hand. An electronic powwow song from a popular Native band from Oklahoma gave a steady beat.

Tobias warmed up with a