Miss Mary Reporting

Starred review from December 14, 2015
In the 1940s, Mary Garber entered the male-exclusive field of sports reporting, and Macy (Roller Derby Rivals) dives into describing the challenges she faced—such as her panic when reporting at a college football game and realizing there was no program to identify the players, or not being allowed to talk to the players in the locker rooms. After Jackie Robinson joined the Dodgers, Garber was moved both by Robinson’s baseball prowess and “quiet dignity in the face of taunts and jeers.” Payne’s mixed-media artwork blends a soft, hazy quality with a hint of caricature, emphasizing Garber’s diminutiveness, even as Macy makes clear the thoughtfulness, smarts, and determination she brought to her journalism. It’s an entertaining and accessible portrait of a generous-minded writer and a reminder of the value of telling people’s stories, whether pro player or soapbox racer. Ages 5–8.

December 1, 2015
Macy illuminates the pioneering sportswriter's 50-year career. One of three daughters, Garber was introduced to sports by her father. She quarterbacked football with boys, created a lively family newspaper instead of writing letters to relatives, and pursued newspaper work after college. A society reporter at Winston-Salem's Twin City Sentinel, Garber got a career break during World War II. With the male sportswriters gone, her editor assigned her the sports pages. Garber soon moved to sports for good, covering competitive contests from football to marbles. Macy's clear, anecdotal writing is backed with solid research and documented quotations. She highlights Garber's coverage of Jackie Robinson and demonstrates that Garber made inroads too, reporting on games at North Carolina's segregated African-American schools. She overcame her own discriminatory roadblocks as a woman barred from press boxes and locker rooms. Macy clearly connects Garber's determination, talent, and sense of fair play with deserved recognition: she garnered a host of awards and widespread admiration. Payne's otherwise handsome mixed-media illustrations present Garber in caricature--far more so than other figures. The artist disrespects Macy's respectful narrative, depicting the petite Garber as an unchangingly childish figure throughout, with owlish round glasses, outsize head and ears, and scrawny neck. A winning tribute to an important game-changer--with points off for its discordant pictorial representation. (author's note, acknowledgements, chronology, resources, sources, notes) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

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Starred review from February 1, 2016

Gr 2-4-A heartfelt, informative, and thoroughly engaging picture book biography about groundbreaking sports reporter Mary Garber (1916-2008). Garber became a sportswriter at a time when there were few women in the field, when women were not welcome in the press box, in the locker room, or on the sidelines. Her love of sports, her fierce determination, and her independent spirit gave her the tools she needed to succeed. She became known for reporting on teams and people who were out of the mainstream, athletes whom other sportswriters wouldn't even consider, such as African American individuals and college teams. Her admiration of Jackie Robinson inspired her to face her detractors with stoicism and grace and to go about doing the best job she could. In Macy's adept hands, Garber comes to life, from her childhood antics on the football field to her important work giving a fair shake to kids and athletes she thought deserved more attention. Payne's mixed-media art lends itself well to the topic. His paintings fill the pages with movement and humor, and the characters' expressions draw the eye and complement the tone of the narrative. Pair this entertaining biography with a few about other women journalists, such as Nellie Bly, for a more in-depth examination of an area that is often overlooked in children's literature. VERDICT An excellent and welcome addition to any elementary biography collection.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 1, 2015
Grades 2-4 *Starred Review* As a child in the 1920s, Mary Garber played tackle football with the boys in her Winston-Salem neighborhood and learned to love the many sports she watched with her father. Later, determined to become a journalist, she reluctantly worked as a society reporter until, during WWII, she took over the sports desk, traditionally a man's job. Jackie Robinson became a role model for the young woman, who endured her own discrimination at the ballparks: banned from press boxes and locker rooms, she was seated with the players' wives. Garber earned a reputation for fairness, covering games at local black high schools, a departure from standard practice in the segregated South. She wrote her last article in 2002. In this well-researched picture-book biography, Macy introduces Garber as a person who followed her passion for sports, despite her mother's disapproval, and did her job with purpose, integrity, and dignity. The narrative is swiftly paced, smoothly written, and filled with interesting details and quotes. Payne's soft-focus mixed-media illustrations feature beautifully delineated period settings and a masterful use of composition for dramatic effect. Best of all, even in crowd scenes, people are portrayed with perception, individuality, and humanityespecially Garber. A lively, memorable biography for younger readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)