On the Right Path: Book Three

A 2023 Readers’ Choice Book Awards Finalist for Best Children’s Book!

"The On the Right Path books belong in every school, library, and home, as they teach invaluable life lessons to children in an entertaining and relatable way." - Kevin McHale, NBA Hall of Famer

Shai is at his third day of basketball camp with his friends Jayden, Jordan, and Jasmine. Along with new basketball skills, the kids are learning life-lessons such as the importance of eating healthy and growing strong. Just like the other On the Right Path books, this is sure to become a beloved story for parents and children alike.

NBA Coach Brett Gunning and award-winning author Stacy Padula have teamed up to create the On the Right Path (OTRP) book series. OTRP is also a non-profit organization created by Brett Gunning to guide youth basketball players on the right path to achieving their maximum potential through education, mentorship, and skill development. The core principles of OTRP are guidance, inspiration, and creativity. The book series focuses on six life-skill pillars: Loving Others, Being Unselfish, Staying Healthy & Strong, Showing Respect, Showing Forgiveness, and Having Fun.

Brett Gunning has spent the last 26 years coaching in College and the NBA. He began his career in 1994 as an assistant coach for Jay Wright at Hofstra University. Over the next seven seasons, he was a part of a staff that turned Hofstra into an American East powerhouse, posting a 72-22 (.766) record from 1998-2001. He was very instrumental in the development of the Pride players, as well as assisted with recruiting, scouting and film analysis. He then went on to spend seven seasons (2001-08) as a member of the coaching staff at Villanova University, again working under the leadership of Head Coach Jay Wright. During his time with the Wildcats, Gunning played a vital role in recruiting and developing a unit that secured four straight NCAA Tournament berths and made three trips to the Sweet 16. He was named Associate Head Coach in 2005 and was recognized following the 2007-08 season as one of the top 25 assistants in the nation by Rivals.com. Gunning's responsibilities with Villanova included on-court teaching, recruiting and scouting. Gunning's NBA career began when he joined the Houston Rockets in 2008 as the team's director of player development. In that role, he was responsible for improving player performance through on-court, one-on-one skill development and the use of video analysis. He was later named an assistant coach for Rockets prior to the 2011-12 season before leaving to serve in that same role with the Orlando Magic for three seasons from 2012-13 through 2014-15. He then returned to the Rockets as an assistant coach in 2015, and from 2016-2020 he assisted head coach Mike D'Antoni coordinate the Rockets offensive scheme. During the 2017-18 season, the Rockets won a franchise record 65 games, and advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

Stacy Padula has spent the last 13 years working daily with teenagers as a college counselor, mentor, and life coach. She was named "Top Inspirational Author of the Year" for 2022 by the International Association of Top Professionals (New York, NY). In 2021, she was broadcast on the famous Reuters Building in Times Square as "Empowered Woman of the Year." Her "Gripped" book series is currently being adapted for TV by Emmy-winning producer Mark Blutman. She is the founder and CEO of Briley & Baxter Publications-a publishing company that donates a portion of its proceeds to animal rescues each month. She has edited and published a variety of titles, including Boston Bruins Anthem Singer Todd Angilly and Rachel Goguen's "The Adventures of Owen & the Anthem Singer," LaTonya Pinkard of Netflix's Last Chance U's "Nate & His Magic Lion," and former NHL player Norm Beaudin's upcoming memoir "The Original: Living Life Through Hockey."

Sylvia Madison (Maddy) Moore is a recent graduate from the University of Pennsylvania who completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in Archaeology and Fine Arts. Moore grew up in a family of international coaches and has consequently lived and worked in various corners of the world including Singapore, New Zealand, and throughout Europe. She began her career as an artist at fifteen, where she would complete commission-based illustrations for clients around her school commitments. In recent years, Moore has worked full-time as a freelance artist with authors and designers from around the art world to bring their projects into fruition, including but not limited to comic book illustrations, character designs, cards and flyers, logos, and her personal work on the indie webcomic, The Cloud Maker. Moore currently resides in Delaware Country, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia.