Mookie Betts

November 1, 2020

Gr 2-8-Six prominent athletes are profiled in these colorful volumes. Alex Morgan was cocaptain of Team USA at the 2019 World Cup; Coco Gauff beat Venus Williams in a straight-sets victory at Wimbledon in 2019; Kobe Bryant led the LA Lakers to seven NBA championships; Mookie Betts helped the Boston Red Sox win the World Series; Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV; and Simone Biles was the first African American female gymnast to win gold in the all-around at the World Championships. Rather than examine their personal lives, the titles list their accomplishments. Additional information features birth dates (and death date of Bryant) and charitable causes. The real attraction is the vivid action photographs, which enhance the straightforward prose. VERDICT Despite the sparse information, the photos are sure to attract young readers. Consider for purchase where there is a demand.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2021
Grades 2-5 In these entries in the Sports Biographies series (6 new titles), high/low readers are presented with basic introductions to the exploits of rising stars in a variety of popular sports. Mookie Betts tells of "the grand slam of all baseball players," highlighting his many awards and championships. Each volume concludes, somewhat jarringly, with a page on the subject's philanthropic work. Double-page spreads lean heavily on sharp, full-color photography of the athletes in action, incorporating only a few sentences into the attractive layout, and this minimal approach leaves room for only the most basic chronology of accomplishments for each subject. While pertinent vocabulary is highlighted in the text and defined in a glossary, the lack of context surrounding the given information means that readers will need to come to the subject with some understanding of the featured sport, fitting for a high/low readership but perhaps limiting for younger early readers who may find interest here. Back-matter links to online resources lead to more robust information.

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