Side-by-Side Baseball Stars: Comparing Pro Baseball's Greatest Players

Gr 5–8—These appealing, well-crafted books compare great players, usually superstars of the past, with current athletes. Each figure is described through a key game or statistic, along with high points of his overall career; lifetime stats and a color photo are also provided. Basketball's match-ups include two notable rivalries: 1980s superstars Larry Bird vs. Earvin "Magic" Johnson and current rivals Kevin Durant vs. Carmelo Anthony. Baseball compares the best batters, fielders, and pitchers, along with home-run champs Babe Ruth vs. Hank Aaron. Each book concludes with "Coach's/Manager's Call," where the author weighs in with his opinion in each match-up. For instance, in comparing Ruth and Aaron, the author opts for Aaron. Each book finishes with three "Critical Thinking Using the Common Core" questions, which encourage readers to draw their own conclusions and support them with evidence from the text. Strong, attractive selections.