For Soccer-Crazy Girls Only

Gr 3–6—This upbeat, enthusiastic treatise on everything soccer is aimed primarily at girls and written by an obvious fan of the sport. The text is organized into short vignettes with chapter titles such as "Becoming the Best," "Getting Ready for the Game," "On the Field: Let's Play," and "Play Safe: Preventing Injuries on the Pitch." Each piece is about a page long, with bright two-color computer graphics in black and vibrant green. Full of factoids and anecdotes, this book will appeal to girls with little time to pore over a heavy text. In addition to game rules and strategies, the title also shares material on how much money players earn, stories of inspirational teams, and an extensive listing of prominent players, male and female. While the graphics are attention grabbing, the two-color theme muddles the black-and-white photographs, making some unappealing. Profiles of several players, male and female, as well as a series of lists finishes out the text, with several pages for readers to add their own notes. The style of text and simple graphics will appeal to the younger middle school or upper elementary readers, as will the straightforward instructional information; older readers will find it more entertaining than enlightening. A good gift for young fans.—Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH