Billie Jean!

June 15, 2019
Billie Jean King's positive energy and dedication to her endless battle for the simple idea of equality are captured in this profile of the tennis legend. Rockliff opens by showing those childhood moments when King refused to accept "no" as an answer. The unjust policies King encountered throughout her tennis career are shown alongside her hard work and dedication to her sport. The storyline depicts success and struggle in a constant battle, exemplified by her first Wimbledon victory and the sexist press conference that followed it. Through it all, King's actions remained positive and personal, as she used her charisma to move the equality needle forward. The repeated imprecation "Peanut butter!" allows a charming glimpse of the iceberg of frustration she must have felt while still playing harder than anyone else. Baddeley's illustrations capture the tennis action well, but the story is the real attraction. The pacing expertly shows King capturing the hearts and minds of tennis fans by winning the major titles in 1972 only to have to prove herself again in the Battle of the Sexes against Bobby Riggs. The account ends with her victory in that seminal match; the author's note reveals plenty more to this legend's story, including her lesbian identity. A must-read for young equal rights warriors. Your advantage. (Picture book/biography. 4-8)

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July 8, 2019
“Anything Billie Jean did, she did it ALL THE WAY.” This intensity is a recurring motif in Rockliff’s tale of the early life of tennis player Billie Jean King, born in 1943. From a childhood in which tennis was presented as the only sport for girls, to her ultimate triumph in the legendary “Battle of the Sexes” against Bobby Riggs in 1973, King’s career was shaped by defying sexist expectations. By centering these many obstacles, Rockliff reveals the pervasive dimensions of the prejudices King faced, heightening her continued perseverance and eventual victories. And the firmly defined lines of Baddeley’s illustrations aptly evoke King’s steely determination through frustrations and joys. Though the book ends with the match against Riggs, an author’s note delves further into King’s activism for women’s sports, Title IX, and LGBTQ communities. Ages 4–8.

August 1, 2019

K-Gr 3-As a child, athletically inclined Billie Jean King was angry that her favorite sports were for men only. She was then introduced to tennis and began doing so well that she was competing at Wimbledon while still a teenager. Despite her successes, she was a victim of the sexist double standards that negatively impacted female athletes. While male tennis champions were asked about their game, she was asked about her marriage and childbearing prospects. She also realized women were compensated far less than their male counterparts. When Bobby Riggs challenged her to a match in 1973, King was determined to beat him-which she did. She became a crusader for the equal treatment of women athletes, even testifying before the Senate Subcommittee on Education to advocate for girls' sports. Rockliff's text deftly tells King's story; Baddeley provides beautiful illustrations. An afterword offers further information about King, including a former girlfriend that outed King to the public. Less biography than a tale of King's fight for women's rights in professional sports, this volume is almost identical in scope to Brad Meltzer's I Am Billie Jean King. However, Rockcliff's narrative is better executed, and Baddeley's pictures are more appealing. VERDICT A good addition for collections needing information on the evolution of women's treatment in professional sports through the life of one of its greatest icons.-Margaret Nunes, Gwinnett County Public Library, GA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2019
Grades K-3 This lively picture book introduces tennis star Billie Jean King, who emerged as an outspoken supporter of women's equality when she accepted a challenge from provocateur and former tennis star Bobby Riggs and won their much-publicized match. While the narrative tells of King's early struggles, hard work, and successes on the court, it also details the difficulties facing her as a woman athlete in the era before Title IX, when reporters would routinely ask male tennis champs about their game, and then quiz King about her jewelry, hairstyles, and plans for motherhood. The narrative climaxes with her victory over Riggs. Writing in relatively short sentences and occasional speech balloons within the illustrations, Rockliff tells the story simply and effectively, while letting readers draw their own conclusions. Baddeley's colorful artwork, created with ink, watercolor, acrylic, and digital elements, dramatizes the action. Considering King's contributions to the struggle toward equal funding, scholarships, pay, and respect for women in sports, this accessible picture book offers a welcome introduction to this legendary tennis star and advocate for women's rights.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)