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(4)
4-6
Jake Maddox Graphic Novels series.
Illustrated by
Berenice Muñiz
&
Nephtali A. Leal.
In Half-Pipe, snowboarder Payton is humiliated after his wipe-out on the slopes goes viral. Faceoff finds ice hockey player Jax facing off against his former BFF. The texts are message-y ("There's no shame in trying your best and not coming out on top"), but the graphic novel format and sports action may draw reluctant readers. "Visual Questions" of varying interest are appended. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox Graphic Novels titles: Faceoff Fall Out and Half-Pipe Panic.
(4)
4-6
STEM in Sports series.
This series successfully if broadly connects popular sports with STEM principles. The books examine facets of a sport to show how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are at work: friction while snowboarding, computerized goal-line sensors in soccer, etc. While the science content is cursory, athletes should find the books enlightening. Illustrations and diagrams help elucidate the concepts. There are four other fall 2017 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these STEM in Sports titles: STEM in Soccer, STEM in Snowboarding, STEM in Basketball, and STEM in Figure Skating.
(4)
4-6
Jake Maddox JV series.
A mixture of fast-paced sports action and interpersonal conflicts plays out in these message-based hi-lo novels about middle schoolers on JV basketball, snowboarding, soccer, and tae kwon do teams. Readers will relate to the characters' emotions in each predictably resolved conflict. The easy-to-read books also include discussion questions, writing prompts, and interesting facts about each sport. Glos. Review covers the following Jake Maddox JV titles: Basketball Breakdown, Snowboard Struggle, Soccer Step-Up, and Tae Kwon Do Clash.
(4)
K-3
Spot Sports series.
Each slim easy reader opens with a photo glossary highlighting four sport-specific vocabulary words, accompanied by instructions: "Look for these words and pictures as you read." The following spreads are organized around these keywords, with bright stock photos and a smattering of facts. The volumes are light on substance but effectively reinforce the meaning of a small number of relevant terms.
24 pp.
| Smart Apple
| March, 2016
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-62588-387-2$27.10
(4)
K-3
Adventure Sports series.
In clear, engaging narratives that emphasize the dangers of adventure sports as well as the thrills, these books introduce training and equipment for each sport and discuss the challenges. The layouts can be unfocused, as text in various fonts and sizes vies with many photos, illustrations, fact sidebars, and quick "Thrill Seeker" bios. Still, adventurous kids will be inspired. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Adventure Sports titles: Canoeing and Kayaking, Caving, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, and Skiing and Snowboarding.
(4)
4-6
Calico: Band Geeks series.
Illustrated by
Anna Cattish.
Members of a middle school band get their moment in the spotlight in each volume of this series celebrating music, geekery, and camaraderie. The cast includes an array of personalities and backgrounds, and the plots--while heavy on lessons about honesty, bullying, popularity, etc.--generate sufficient drama to sustain narrative momentum. Angular black-and-white illustrations enhance readability. There are three other spring 2015 books in this series. Review covers the following Calico: Band Geeks titles: Dude, Where's My Saxophone?, Notes from a Pro, and Shredding with the Geeks.
(4)
4-6
Snowboarder Lexi Miller was the "Golden Girl" of elite Mountain Academy until a fall left her sidelined. A year later, she is hoping for an epic comeback, but she's lost her best friend and her competitive edge; a new friend teaches Lexi how much fun snowboarding can be. While the story falls flat at times, it's an easy, light choice for snowed-in winter reading.
64 pp.
| ABDO
| September, 2014
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-62403-398-8$22.95
(3)
4-6
SportsZone: Great Moments in Olympic Sports series.
After a brief introduction to/history of the sport, each of these books covers memorable Olympic moments. Chapters focus on individual athletes and their inspiring stories of hard work, determination, and talent. Sidebars and captioned photos highlight additional events and competitors. Skating includes both figure skating and speedskating. "Great Olympians" and "Places to Visit" lists are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these SportsZone: Great Moments in Olympic Sports titles: Great Moments in Olympic Skating, Great Moments in Olympic Snowboarding, Great Moments in Olympic Gymnastics, and Great Moments in Olympic Basketball.
32 pp.
| ABDO
| September, 2014
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-62403-457-2$18.95
(4)
K-3
SportsZone: Extreme Sports Stars series.
These biographies cursorily profile extreme athletes, focusing on their wins at the X Games and other competitions. Fans will be most interested in the full-page and -spread photos showing the athletes flipping through the air on their BMX bikes, snowboards, or skateboards. The black and neon paint-splattered graphics and some poorly reproduced photos make for an unattractive design. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review includes these Extreme Sports Stars titles: Jamie Bestwick, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins Pastrana, Tony Hawk, and Torah Bright.
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Barry Gott.
Monster dinosaurs ride monster waves, rock the half-pipe, and shred the slopes at Mt. Mastodon's dino-boarding event. Sometimes choppy rhyming couplets, filled with extreme-sports lingo, provide narration as teams Green Machine and Shredding Crew surf, skate, and snowboard in an intense competition. Fans of Wheeler's other Dino sport books will recognize Gott's action-packed illustrations, which match the story's frenzied pace.
32 pp.
| Lerner
| September, 2013
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-4677-0755-8$26.60
(4)
4-6
Extreme Winter Sports Zone series.
Each book grabs readers with a pivotal "extreme" moment then goes on to recount the history, technical basics, equipment, competitions, hazards, and styles of the sport; profiles of star athletes wrap things up. Bold, electrifying graphics are fitting for the high-energy subject matter but result in a busy look. Readable texts and action-packed photos provide much interest. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Extreme Winter Sports Zone titles: Ski Slopestyle, Ski Superpipe, Snowboard Cross, Snowboard Superpipe, Snowmobile Snocross, and Snowmobile Best Trick.
32 pp.
| Lerner
| September, 2013
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-4677-0754-1$26.60
(4)
4-6
Extreme Winter Sports Zone series.
Each book grabs readers with a pivotal "extreme" moment then goes on to recount the history, technical basics, equipment, competitions, hazards, and styles of the sport; profiles of star athletes wrap things up. Bold, electrifying graphics are fitting for the high-energy subject matter but result in a busy look. Readable texts and action-packed photos provide much interest. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Extreme Winter Sports Zone titles: Ski Slopestyle, Ski Superpipe, Snowboard Cross, Snowboard Superpipe, Snowmobile Snocross, and Snowmobile Best Trick.
93 pp.
| Random
| January, 2013
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-375-97096-2$12.99
|
PaperISBN 978-0-307-93160-3$6.99
(3)
1-3
It seems like everybody is going snowboarding, and Babymouse is (sort of) up to giving it a try. After an afternoon of wipe-outs, she takes her instructor's advice: "listen to your inner voice." Unfortunately, her inner voice leads her down all the wrong paths. Babymouse fans will enjoy the extreme alpine adventure in her seventeenth pleasing graphic novel.
(4)
4-6
Winter Sports series.
In each of these small-trim books, informative text begins with a brief history of the winter sport then covers the variety of events, equipment, techniques, and worldwide competitions. While the action shots are eye-catching and the content solid, the tiny type gets lost within a busy format filled with captions, quotes, bios of star athletes, and "No Way!" sidebars. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Winter Sports titles: Skiing, Snowboarding, and Figure Skating.
48 pp.
| Enslow/Elementary
| September, 2013
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-4295-7$23.93
(4)
K-3
Sports Stars Who Care series.
These books touch on the philanthropic efforts of the title sports stars, in some cases greatly padded by biographical information and career stats (Albert Pujols started a foundation for kids with Down syndrome, which his daughter has, making his efforts seem more personal). Beyond the do-gooder hook there's nothing much new, but reluctant readers will appreciate the accessible writing style and sports photographs. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Sports Stars Who Care titles: Derek Jeter, Lionel Messi, Tim Tebow, Dwight Howard, Shaun White, Eli Manning, and [Albert Pujols.
48 pp.
| Sea to Sea
| August, 2012
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-59771-408-2$35.65
(4)
4-6
Extreme Games series.
These hectically designed books introduce the X-Games, a competitive showcase of action sports with a high level of danger. Summer includes such events as skateboarding, BMX, and motocross, while Winter highlights snowboarding, snowmobiling, and freestyle skiing; several athlete profiles are included. Each event introduction is enhanced with crisp photographs and ink-splatter graphics containing "extreme facts." Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Extreme Games titles: Summer Action Sports and Winter Action Sports.
32 pp.
| Smart Apple
| August, 2012
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-59920-808-4$28.50
(4)
4-6
Adventure Outdoors series.
These books highlight activities and sports for outdoorsy kids. The instructive overviews cover required skills for each activity; recommended equipment, clothing, and gear; safety suggestions; and necessary preparations and guidelines. Sidebars offer statistics and interesting real-life anecdotes. A creative mix of color photos accompany the rather awkward narratives. Quizzes help ensure readers are prepared for the activity. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Adventure Outdoors titles: Wild Biking, Wild Rock, Wild Snow, Wild Trail, Wild Underground, and Wild Water.
32 pp.
| Smart Apple
| August, 2012
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-59920-686-8$28.50
(4)
4-6
Adrenaline Rush series.
This series for young adrenaline junkies is a flashy introduction to extreme sports. Spotty glimpses into the history, equipment, technique, and appeal of these daring and dangerous athletics highlight their excitement and underplay their risks; each book contains just one double-page section on "Staying Alive." Action-packed, eye-catching photos accompany brief text on each frenetic spread. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Adrenaline Rush titles: BMX Biking, Mountain Biking, Windsurfing & Kite Surfing, Free Running, Skateboarding, and Snowboarding.
104 pp.
| Lucent
| June, 2011
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-4205-0322-7$33.45
(3)
YA
Science Behind Sports series.
These overviews of popular sports foreground performance; chapter headings include topics such as "Training and Nutrition," "High-Tech Equipment," and "Injuries and Treatments." Physics, biology, and psychology concepts related to the sports are rarely isolated; instead, they're wrapped into technical discussions of moves and techniques. Many photographs of pros and novices in action add interest to the volumes. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Science Behind Sports titles: Gymnastics, Snowboarding, Ice Hockey, and Basketball.
64 pp.
| Norwood
| July, 2010
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-59953-391-9$26.60
(3)
4-6
Girls Play to Win series.
This series brings home the great strides that female athletics has taken over the years. The history of the title sport and its rules are discussed, along with famous figures. With an easy design and format, the texts are highly accessible to even the most reluctant of readers and provide great exposure and insight into the world of female professional sports. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Reviews covers these Girls Play to Win titles: Girls Play to Win Skiing and Snowboarding, Girls Play to Win Figure Skating, Girls Play to Win Volleyball, Girls Play to Win Hockey, and Girls Play to Win Basketball.