We Got Game!

April 15, 2021
This collective biography presents 35 female athletes who have left marks on their sports, chosen to inspire a new generation of girls. A broad range of sports is represented, including soccer, gymnastics, bobsled, wheelchair racing, and (stretching definitions a bit) ballet. They include well-known figures like African Americans standouts Misty Copeland and Serena Williams as well as less-familiar but equally revolutionary athletes such as Tatyana McFadden, a White Paralympian who competes in wheelchair racing and nordic skiing, and Marlen Esparza, a Latinx Olympic boxer. Each three-page profile includes one full-page portrait, one page of "amazing facts and unbelievable stats," and one page of biographical information that includes causes important to them. As these are very accomplished athletes, editing down their life stories to one page is difficult, and Weintraub leaves readers wanting more. One of White Paralympian Hannah Cockroft's facts is not even a fact about her, but her sport: "T34 is a sport classification for people with certain disabilities like Hannah's." (It is also not very illuminating.) Unfortunately, the illustrations are not effective in celebrating these athletes, curiously presenting them with very little muscular definition; it's hard to tell these athletes are at the primes of their careers. Of the 35 women, more than half present as White; several Black athletes are represented, but there are only two East Asian, one South Asian, and four Latinx athletes. LGBTQ+ athletes and athletes with disabilities are also represented. These amazing athletes deserve better. (selected sources, index) (Collective biography. 8-12)

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May 1, 2021
Grades 4-7 This appealing anthology profiles 35 exceptional women athletes from a range of sports. Those included are varied in race, ethnicity, and homeland; some are disabled; some are from the LGBTQ+ community; and some are currently active, while others are historically significant. The attractively formatted book features a color drawing of each person, a full-page biography, and one page of brief "amazing facts and unbelievable statistics." Included are well-known athletes (Simone Biles, Serena Williams, Danica Patrick, Ibtihaj Muhammad) as well as less well-known women like UK wheelchair-racer Hannah Cockroft, Kentucky Derby jockey Diane Crump, Canadian rower Silken Laumann, and Japanese mountain-climber Junko Tabei. All share a desire to succeed despite the odds. The book briefly explores how each woman works to overcome challenges and also how they advocate for causes like gender and wage equality, body positivity, diversity and disability rights, or stopping cyberbullying. The biographies, inspirational messages, and mottos make this a good choice for young feminists and sports enthusiasts.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.