700s: Get Up and Go: Series Nonfiction on Sports
Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA -- School Library Journal, 11/1/2008
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The Bottom Line |
Paradoxically, it seems that in our sports-obsessed culture more Americans lead sedentary lives than ever before, and obesity, diabetes, and heart disease rates are all on the rise, even among young people. A renewed focus on physical education, including a variety of sports, is one way to counter these alarming trends. Good sports literature supports a strong physical education curriculum and can hold great appeal for a wide range of students, including struggling and reluctant readers.
MATTERN, Joanne. Kickboxing ISBN 978-1-60472-395-3. LC 2008016352.
MATTERN, Joanne. Kiteboarding ISBN 978-1-60472-396-0. LC 2008016353.
MATTERN, Joanne. Paintball diag. map. ISBN 978-1-60472-397-7. LC 2008016354.
MATTERN, Joanne. Skateboarding ISBN 978-1-60472-398-4. LC 2008016355.
MATTERN, Joanne. Wrestling chart. diag. map. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60472-399-1. LC 2008016357. ea vol: 24p. (Action Sports Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rourke 2009. PLB $20.57.
Gr 2-5–These books feature widely spaced, simple text and colorful, action-filled photos on every page, with many pages featuring multiple photos. Somewhat bland thumbnail sketches of each sport and its history are accompanied by a look at rules, equipment, and competitions. “Did You Know…” boxes relate facts such as “Tricks up in the air are called aerials” (in BMX). The 10-volume “X-Sports” series (Capstone, 2005) covers all of these sports except wrestling and offers first-rate graphics and absorbing, informative descriptions.
DOEDEN, Matt. Baseball ISBN 978-1-4296-2005-5. LC 2002002030.DOEDEN, Matt. Basketball charts. ISBN 978-1-4296-2006-2. LC 2008002033.
DOEDEN, Matt. Hockey charts. ISBN 978-1-4296-2008-6. LC 2008002037.
DOUGHERTY, Terri. Football charts. ISBN 978-1-4296-2007-9. LC 2008002035. ea vol: 32p. (Sports Records Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone 2008. PLB $17.95.
Gr 4-9–Though athletes continue to rewrite the record books, suggesting that these titles will date quickly, the series has enough historical insight and trivia to remain appealing over time. Each book focuses on the highlights and great players and great teams of each sport, along with some unusual records (longest-lasting games, tallest/shortest players). Brief, lively sentences sum up individual feats and set them in context, as shown in this introduction to Michael Jordan in Basketball: “It didn't take long for the 6-foot, 6-inch Jordan to take the NBA by storm. During his rookie season in 1984, he averaged 28.2 points per game. It was just the beginning of an amazing career.” This series should appeal to a wide audience.
FITZPATRICK, Jim. Skateboarding ISBN 978-1-60279-259-3. LC 2008007548.FITZPATRICK, Jim. Snowboarding ISBN 978-1-60279-260-9. LC 2008007554.
GIGLIOTTI, Jim. Football ISBN 978-1-60279-257-9. LC 2008002305.
KELLEY, K. C. Golf ISBN 978-1-60279-262-3. LC 2008002045.
KELLEY, K. C.. Soccer diag. ISBN 978-1-60279-261-6. LC 2008006749.
LABRECQUE, Ellen. Basketball ISBN 978-1-60279-256-2. LC 2008002044.
TEITELBAUM, Michael. Baseball ISBN 978-1-60279-255-5. LC 2008002310.
TIMBLIN, Stephen. Swimming ISBN 978-1-60279-258-6. LC 2008002046. ea vol: 32p. (Innovation In Sports Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Cherry Lake 2008. PLB $27.07.
Gr 4-7–Innovators discussed here range from athletes and coaches to officials and equipment makers. Each book introduces ideas about problem solving as they relate to sports. For example, Skateboarding describes how one enthusiast improved wheel design after he noticed how a vacuum cleaner worked, and the ensuing text informs readers that creativity can involve making connections between seemingly unrelated things. Overall, however, these books use a traditional approach to their topics, providing brief overviews of the history, rules, equipment, and training of each sport. The texts are clear and concise if somewhat dry, and are supplemented by crisp action shots and close-ups of equipment. Appeal will be limited to report writers.
GIFFORD, Clive. Basketball diags. ISBN 978-1-4042-444-3. LC 2007042989.GIFFORD, Clive. Soccer diags. ISBN 978-1-4042-4441-2. LC 2007042997.
GIFFORD, Clive. Swimming ISBN 978-1-4042-4443-6. LC 2007043003.
GIFFORD, Clive. Track and Field diags. ISBN 978-1-4042-4442-9. LC 2007042984. ea vol: 32p. (Personal Best Series). photos. appendix. further reading. index. Web sites. CIP. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2008. PLB $25.25.
Gr 4-8–This series offers well-organized and easy-to-follow instructions, focusing on rules, clothing, specific skills, and competitions. All show youthful participants, though Basketball depicts only boys. The step-by-step instructions are matched by small photographs; a sprint start in Track and Field is detailed in five steps, each with its own photo, from the words “On your marks” until the runner reaches racing form in her second stride. Factoids relating to the sports' great athletes and their accomplishments offer perspective. British terms (“basketball boots”, “topping up fluids”) stand out in a few cases, but for the most part, these are informative, readable guides.
GIFFORD, Clive. Soccer diag. ISBN 978-1-59771-152-4. LC 2008007320.GIFFORD, Clive. Tennis diags. ISBN 978-1-59771-153-1. LC 2008007322.
GIFFORD, Clive. Track Athletics diag. ISBN 978-1-59771-154-8. LC 2008007323.
MASON, Paul. Judo ISBN 978-1-59771-151-7. LC 2008007318. ea vol: 32p. (Know Your Sport Series). charts. photos. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Sea-to-Sea 2008. PLB $27.10.
Gr 4-8–These well-crafted books offer overviews (how long the game takes, size of the playing space, referee duties) and illustrated, simple step-by-step instructions on their respective sports. The concise, readable texts focus on simple techniques and skills, along with warm-up exercises, basic rules, and brief sidebars containing trivia and profiles of great athletes and of famous competitions. The colorful photos show a diverse group of participants, both girls and boys. Informative and enjoyable.
HUDAK, Heather C., ed.. Extreme BMX ISBN 978-1-59036-910-4; ISBN 978-1-59036-911-1. LC 2008023844.HUDAK, Heather C., ed.. Extreme Skiing ISBN 978-1-59036-918-0; ISBN 978-1-59036-919-7. LC 2008024148.
HUDAK, Heather C. Extreme MotoX ISBN 978-1-59036-914-2; ISBN 978-1-59036-915-9. LC 2008023846.
WISEMAN, Blaine. Extreme Skateboarding ISBN 978-1-59036-912-8; ISBN 978-1-59036-913-5. LC 2008023845.
WISEMAN, Blaine. Extreme Snowboarding ISBN 978-1-59036-920-3; ISBN 978-1-59036-921-0. LC 2008023847.
WISEMAN, Blaine. Extreme Surfing ISBN 978-1-59036-916-6; ISBN 978-1-59036-917-3. LC 2008023849. ea vol: 32p. (Extreme Series). maps. photos. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Weigl 2008. PLB $26; pap. $7.95.
Gr 4-8–The bright colors and graphics in these books are reminiscent of the irreverent styles and attitudes on display at the X Games. Each title offers a readable overview of the Games, along with a look at each sport and its equipment, venues, and current and past athletes. A “Similar Sports” chapter in each volume shows possible inspiration for these unusual pastimes, such as mountain biking and auto racing in MotoX, for example. The information is up-to-date if superficial, and evidence of haste shows in a few typos and unidentified photos, but, otherwise, this is an eye-catching option for fans and browsers alike.
KELLEY, K. C. AFC East ISBN 978-1-60053-001-0. LC 2008010519.KELLEY, K. C.. AFC West ISBN 978-1-60053-004-1. LC 2008010522.
KELLEY, K. C.. NFC East ISBN 978-1-59296-997-5. LC 2008010515.
KELLEY, K. C.. NFC North ISBN 978-1-59296-998-2. LC 2008010516.
KELLEY, K. C.. NFC South ISBN 978-1-59296-999-9. LC 2008010517.
KELLEY, K. C.. NFC West ISBN 978-1-60253-000-3. LC 2008010518.
PETERSON, Brian. AFC North ISBN 978-1-60253-002-7. LC 2008010520.
PETERSON, Brian. AFC South ISBN 978-1-60253-003-4. LC 2008010521. ea vol: 40p. (Inside the NFL Series). charts. photos. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. The Child's World 2008. PLB $19.95.
Gr 4-8–This series offers a brief introduction to all 32 NFL teams and their histories, in one chapter each. An appendix of statistics in each book lists each division's hall-of-fame members and career leaders through 2007. The series approach results in some inequities: all teams receive the same treatment whether they have a storied past or not. Still, with their colorful graphics (current and period) and up-to-date, readable texts, these books will appeal to both casual readers and hard-core enthusiasts.
O'SHEI, Tim. Jujitsu illus. ISBN 978-1-4296-1966-0. LC 2007052200.O'SHEI, Tim. Karate ISBN 978-1-4296-1961-5. LC 2007052202.
O'SHEI, Tim. Kendo ISBN 978-1-4296-1964-6. LC 2007052198.
O'SHEI, Tim. Kung Fu ISBN 978-1-4296-1963-9. LC 2007052210.
O'SHEI, Tim. Muay Thai ISBN 978-1-4296-1962-2. LC 2007052209.
O'SHEI, Tim. Tae Kwon Do ISBN 978-1-4296-1965-3. LC 2007052212. ea vol: 32p. (Martial Arts Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone 2008. PLB $22.60.
Gr 3-6–Offering simple texts and dramatic action-filled photos, these books aim for a wide audience, but fall short. Their emphasis is on the rudimentary facts of clothing and equipment, simple skills, and competition (“Kung fu fighters wear special pants and a jacket”). The information is vague, muddled, and particularly weak when explaining each sport's origins. Speculation on the history of Kung fu, for example, takes three spreads, and uses language such as “Some people then believe….” The “Martial Arts for Kids” series (Tuttle), written at a higher reading level, offers better introductions.
STONE, Lynn. Rodeo Barrel Racers illus. ISBN 978-1-60472-392-2. LC 2008018797.STONE, Lynn. The Rodeo ISBN 978-1-60472-387-8. LC 2008018783.
STONE, Lynn. Rodeo Bronc Riders ISBN 978-1-60472-388-5. LC 2008018791.
STONE, Lynn. Rodeo Bull Riders ISBN 978-1-60472-390-8. LC 2008018793.
STONE, Lynn. Rodeo Ropers reprods. ISBN 978-1-60472-389-2. LC 2008018785.
STONE, Lynn. Rodeo Steer Wrestlers ISBN 978-1-60472-391-5. LC 2008018796. ea vol: 32p. (All About the Rodeo Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rourke. 2009. PLB $28.50.
Gr 4-7–For most people living in cities and suburbs, this sport is an unfamiliar pastime, and this fine series offers an accessible introduction. Rodeo offers a highly condensed overview and may be considered for standalone purchase; the other volumes add more explanation of each event's rules, human and animal participants, and history. Famous riders (often depicted in period photographs), as well as rodeo-related information, such as how spurs work, are covered in call-out boxes. This series covers much the same ground as Josepha Sherman's six-volume “Rodeo” (Heinemann), but adds updated graphics. Dramatic action photographs and clear texts presented in an easy-to-read format combine to make this a superior offering with wide-ranging appeal.
The Bottom Line
“Extreme Sports” and “Sports Records,” featuring attractive packaging and engaging snippets of information, will have wide-ranging appeal. “All About the Rodeo” and “Inside the NFL” are accessible and will encourage further reading. “Know Your Sport” and “Personal Best” offer simple, step-by-step instructions, supported by colorful photos and graphics; both series are satisfactory introductions. “Action Sports” and “Innovation in Sports” are marginal choices.
From Street to Stadium: Series Nonfiction on Sports (Spring 2009)
