Read Series Made Simple, School Library Journal's guide to the latest series nonfiction

This spring there are several captivating sports series that can be used for a wide age range of readers. Some of the topics, such as dance or unusual races, will pique the interest of older students who are reading below grade level, as well as those who are interested in learning about the pastime. Paragraphs with a traditional narrative flow are not always the norm in these series. Rather the current writing style is one of short, flashy sections or information packaged in text boxes. Many of these titles will find fans among those looking for pleasure reading.

Preschool—Grade 4

FREDERICK, Shane. The Best of Everything Football Book. diags. ISBN 978-1-4296-5466-1; ISBN 978-1-4296-6326-7. LC 2010038475. ————. The Best of Everything Hockey Book. diags. ISBN 978-1-4296-5469-2; ISBN 978-1-4296-6328-1. LC 2010038476. LEBOUTILLIER, Nate. The Best of Everything Baseball Book. diag. ISBN 978-1-4296-5467-8; ISBN 978-1-4296-6288-8. LC 2010038474. ————. The Best of Everything Basketball Book. diag. ISBN 978-1-4296-5468-5; ISBN 978-1-4296-6327-4. LC 2010038477. ea vol: 64p. (Sports Illustrated Kids: The All-Time Best of Sports Series). charts. photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $33.32; pap. $8.95. Gr 4-6—The short chunks of text that pepper these volumes list notable facts about each of these popular sports. Chapter titles consist of an abundance of superlatives such as “top,” “greatest,” and “biggest,” further emphasizing the sports’ records. The authors cover the history of the sports and how they are played, information that includes diagrams of playing spaces; explanations of playing positions; and information on college participation, but the books mainly consist of statistics, and discussions of them, that will be excellent for supplementing reports. Frederick also includes amusing chapters on the colors of hockey and football uniforms—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Leboutillier describes basketball styles through the years and baseball mascots. Each book includes a few trivia questions. The indexes are extensive. While this series contributes nothing new, it is engaging and could be used to replace out-of-date items.

GAROFOLI, Wendy. Hip-Hop Dancing Volume 1: The Basics. chart. ISBN 978-1-4296-5487-6. ————. Hip-Hop Dancing Volume 2: Breaking. ISBN 978-1-4296-5485-2. ————. Hip-Hop Dancing Volume 3: Popping, Locking, and Everything in Between. ISBN 978-1-4296-5486-9. ————. Hip-Hop Dancing Volume 4: Dancing with a Crew. diags. ISBN 978-1-4296-5487-6. ea vol: 48p. (Velocity: Hip-Hop Dancing Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $30.65. LC 2010030394. Gr 4-6—These volumes cover the basic moves as well as more detailed movements often seen on television programs such as So You Think You Can Dance. Though the books are numbered, they do not have to be read in any particular order. Everything about the set is jazzy and current. Sentences are short and direct, with a small-sized font detailing step-by-step instructions and fact boxes extending the information. The vocabulary consists of names of moves that range from simple compound words like “toprock” to vocabulary stretchers such as “transition” moves or “choreograph.” Glossary words are bolded and are repeated in each volume. Colorful photographs of high school-aged, diverse dancers show the various moves. One to three stars indicate the complexity of the movements. While it is difficult to learn to dance using a book, readers who already have an interest can review their favorite activity and gain some interesting tidbits at the same time, such as the difference between east- and west-coast dance styles. A stand-out series.

GLASER, Jason. Batter. ISBN 978-1-4339-4619-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-4622-6. LC 2010039132. ————. Catcher. ISBN 978-1-4339-4483-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-4486-4. LC 2010035720. ————. Infielders. ISBN 978-1-4339-4487-1; ISBN 978-1-4339-4490-1. LC 2010026667. ————. Outfielders. ISBN 978-1-4339-4491-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-4494-9. LC 2010030690. ————. Pitcher. ISBN 978-1-4339-4495-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-4498-7. LC 2010039136. ea vol: 48p. (Play Ball: Baseball Series). charts. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2011. PLB $31.95; ebook $31.95. Gr 4-6—Glaser introduces the game by focusing on each position individually, explaining its place on the field and describing famous players and their success stories. Each page features a colorful, captioned photograph exhibiting action, coupled with a paragraph of attention-grabbing facts or descriptions of skills, tips, or drills. The final pages offer charts of record-breaking statistics. The books’ hi/lo composition is the main asset of the series. There is nothing here that cannot be found in Hans Hetrick’s Play Baseball Like a Pro: Key Skills & Tips (Capstone, 2011) and many other books, but these volumes will work as replacements for older titles where Glaser’s “Tip-Off: Basketball” series (Gareth Stevens, 2011) has been successful.

JONES, Jen. Cheer Gear. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4296-5273-5. LC 2010028059. ————. Cheer Skills. ISBN 978-1-4296-5276-6. LC 2010028061. ————. Cheerleaders in Action. ISBN 978-1-4296-5274-2. LC 2010028060. ————. Cheers and Chants. ISBN 978-1-4296-5275-9. LC 2010028063. ea vol: 24p. (Pebble Plus: Cheerleading Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $23.99. K-Gr 2—Fans will appreciate the selection of topics in this series. A large-font text against white pages provides simple declarative sentences that match picture clues on the opposite page. However, the suggested chants are trite and unexciting. Smiling (with and without braces), ethnically diverse girls of all ages and sizes display their enthusiasm; a few boys also feature in the photographs. While the colorful images are appealing, they are supplemental. It is unfortunate that a couple of pictures are duplicated among the books in such a small series. Because there is a plethora of cheerleading titles out there, these should be considered only where there is a demand for additional material.

KELLEY, K.C. Weird Races. ISBN 978-1-60954-376-1. LC 2010042898. ————. Weird Sports Moments. ISBN 978-1-60954-377-8. LC 2010042899. ————. Weird Water Sports. ISBN 978-1-60954-380-8. LC 2010044028. WATSON, S.B. Weird Animal Sports. ISBN 978-1-60954-375-4. LC 2010042897. ————. Weird Sports of the World. ISBN 978-1-60954-378-5. LC 2010042901. ————. Weird Throwing and Kicking Sports. ISBN 978-1-60954-379-2. LC 2010044026. ea vol: 24p. (Weird Sports Series). photos. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. The Child’s World. 2010. PLB $25.64. Gr 4-6—Fascinating sports and challenges are briefly elucidated in this series. Both authors give examples from various countries, describing all together more than 50 activities ranging from Estonia’s wife-carrying race to a Mexican golf tournament that involves playing only one hole. Though bizarre contests are highlighted, the authors show their sense of humor by also featuring known, but out of the ordinary contests, such as pig races regularly seen at county fairs and atypical races such as those in which dogs pull skiers through the snow. Colorful photographs enhance the comical events, and “Fast Fact” or “Bonus Weirdness” text boxes near each photo provide additional details. Vocabulary is stretched as readers learn more about “parkour,” an obstacle course that they may be familiar with from television. This material is unusual enough to encourage readers to browse the entire series.

KENNEDY, Mike & Mark Stewart. Soccer in Africa. ISBN 978-1-59953-441-1. LC 2010044551. ————. Soccer in Asia. ISBN 978-1-59953-448-0. LC 2010044553. ————. Soccer in Central America. ISBN 978-1-59953-443-5. LC 2010044554. ————. Soccer in Eastern Europe. ISBN 978-1-59953-445-9. LC 2010045977. ————. Soccer in North America. ISBN 978-1-59953-444-2. LC 2010045827. ————. Soccer in South America. ISBN 978-1-59953-446-6. LC 2010044555. ————. Soccer in The British Isles. ISBN 978-1-59953-442-8. LC 2010046319. ————. Soccer in Western Europe. ISBN 978-1-59953-447-3. LC 2010046568. ea vol: 24p. (Smart About Sports Series). chart. maps. photos. reprods. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Norwood House. 2011. PLB $21.27. Gr 2-3—These books begin with an unlabeled outline map of the region, which may cause readers some confusion (the countries are named in the final pages). Chapter spreads are devoted to, for example, the history of soccer in the region; a prominent stadium there; and eight well-known players, shown on their player cards and accompanied by information on their sporting achievements. A couple of chapters cover some basic soccer rules in a scattershot fashion, and a chart summarizes the area’s winning record. The index refers to names of soccer players mentioned in the text, but not to topics covered, and the glossary and the websites are nearly the same for every book. Browsers may enjoy some of the material in these books, but they are not essential purchases.

LATIMER, Clay. VIP Pass to a Pro Baseball Game Day: From the Locker Room to the Press Box (And Everything in Between). ISBN 978-1-4296-5462-3; ISBN 978-1-4296-6283-3. LC 2010032208. ————. VIP Pass to a Pro Basketball Game Day: From the Locker Room to the Press Box (And Everything in Between). ISBN 978-1-4296-5463-0; ISBN 978-1-4296-6284-0. LC 2010032209. ————. VIP Pass to a Pro Football Game Day: From the Locker Room to the Press Box (And Everything in Between). ISBN 978-1-4296-5461-6; ISBN 978-1-4296-6285-7. LC 2010032210. ————. VIP Pass to a Pro Hockey Game Day: From the Locker Room to the Press Box (And Everything in Between). ISBN 978-1-4296-5464-7; ISBN 978-1-4296-6286-4. LC 2010032211. ea vol: 32p. (Sports Illustrated Kids: Game Day Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $26.65; pap. $7.95. Gr 3-5—Latimer takes readers behind the scenes during a game day of four popular sports. Many workers contribute to a successful day of competition, and the photographs elaborate upon the narratives to explain the wide variety of people, such as groundskeepers, equipment managers, and journalists who, along with players, create a sporting event. However, some photographs are more interesting than others. It is strange that for such an active game as hockey, 3 out of the 18 pictures are of players relaxing. Latimer’s narration gives insight into players’ strange habits or wild superstitions before games. In addition, Basketball shows the personal side of athletes who work for charity off the field. Some vocabulary words, such as “trainer,” are defined as they are used, and are repeated among the books. Select individual sports titles as necessary.

POLYDOROS, Lori. Awesome Freestyle BMX Tricks and Stunts. ISBN 978-1-4296-5411-1. LC 2010030049. ————. Awesome Freestyle Motocross Tricks and Stunts. ISBN 978-1-4296-5410-4. LC 2010030050. ————. Awesome Skateboard Tricks and Stunts. ISBN 978-1-4296-5409-8. LC 2010032196. ————. Awesome Snowboard Tricks and Stunts. ISBN 978-1-4296-5412-8. LC 2010032199. ea vol: 32p. (Blazers: Big Air Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $25.32. Gr 1-3—Featuring popular sports that have riders sailing though the air performing stunts, Polydoros gives beginning fans a taste of the action. Dramatic and colorful photos showcase primarily young men performing aerial tricks and emphasize movement rather than faces. The photos are often placed over the books’ gutters, creating an attractive look. Almost all participants wear helmets. The author uses the common name for each stunt and provides a brief description as an overview. Vocabulary will allow frequent practice with popular compound words such as “backflip” or “downside tailwhip.” Words in bold are defined in photograph captions, in the glossary, and listed in the index. Sentences are short with three to a page. While there is nothing new here, this set contributes trendy hi/lo material.

WOODS, Mark. Ace!: Tennis Facts and Stats. ISBN 978-1-4339-4986-9. LC 2010025704. ————. Goal!: Soccer Facts and Stats. ISBN 978-1-4339-5015-5. LC 2010029686. ————. Slam Dunk!: Basketball Facts and Stats. ISBN 978-1-4339-5017-9. LC 2010029685. ————. Xtreme!: Extreme Facts and Stats. ISBN 978-1-4339-5020-9. LC 2010029612. ea vol: 32p. (Top Score Math Series). charts. photos. glossary. index. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2011. PLB $26.60. Gr 4-6—This series features sports banter centered on a mathematic theme. After covering the basic scoring rules for each sport and charting some superlatives throughout history, Woods creates related math word problems. Answers are given on the final page of the books. Readers will get practice in interpreting charts and tables and reading bar graphs and pictographs while absorbing remarkable information about the sports. One example asks readers to check the Williams sisters’ win/loss table to determine which sibling played more matches between 2000 and 2009. Another example discusses soccer managers who can buy and sell players to create a winning squad. As a follow-up, the author suggests that readers check the chart and determine the cost of three players. This distinctive series provides an appealing approach for math tutors or homeschooling parents to use.

Grades 5 and Up

BRINGLE, Jennifer. Wing Shooting. ISBN 978-1-4488-1241-7. LC 2010018465. CANINO, Kate. Turkey Hunting. map. ISBN 978-1-4488-1244-8. LC 2010018912. PETERSON, Judy Monroe. Big Game Hunting. ISBN 978-1-4488-1240-0. LC 2010006859. ––––. Small Game Hunting. ISBN 978-1-4488-1242-4. LC 2010009841. ––––. Varmit Hunting. illus. ISBN 978-1-4488-1245-5. LC 2010015514. WOLNY, Philip. Waterfowl. ISBN 978-1-4488-1243-1. LC 2010017396. ea vol: 64p. (Hunting: Pursuing Wild Game! Series). photos. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rosen Central. 2011. PLB $29.25. Gr 5-8–Each volume in this comprehensive series includes information on hunter education and responsibility and suggests ideas such as a pre-planning checklist before the day of the event. The books also relate strategies for hunting specific game. For example, Canino provides tips and a photograph to explain how to close someone needs to be to shoot a wild turkey with a shotgun versus with a bow and arrow. Chapters describing what happens after the hunt include facts about taxidermy. Even though a few pages are dense with text, others are broken up with spectacular color photographs, some of which are more successful than others at elucidating the text. Men, women, and children appear in them. Varmint Hunting, which discusses animals such as raccoon and opossum, could be useful to those living in more suburban areas, where these animals are considered pests. These titles will work well in libraries that have had success with the “Wild Outdoors” (Capstone, 2010) or “Open Season” (PowerKids, 2010) series.

MASON, Paul. Improving Flexibility. diag. ISBN 978-1-4488-3299-6. LC 2010024359. ––––. Improving Endurance. diags. ISBN 978-1-4488-3300-9. LC 2010024356. ––––. Improving Speed. charts. ISBN 978-1-4488-3302-3. LC 2010024354. ––––. Improving Strength and Power. charts . diags. ISBN 978-1-4488-3301-6. LC 2010024425. ea vol: 32p. (Training for Sports Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2011. PLB $25.25. Gr 5-7–Mason takes an unusual approach by addressing the topic from medical and health points of view. Throughout the books, he covers training and exercises that will help athletes improve in many sports. Each book provides between 8 and 10 profiles of subjects ranging from dancers to participants in judoka. Some well-known names appear (Lance Armstrong in Endurance), but others are less familiar (Lynn Hill in Flexibility). Readers can stretch their vocabulary by learning about their body shape and “somatotyping” or the “lactic threshold” that occurs during exercising. Other concepts such as “overtraining” or “ultra-running” are discussed on full spreads. All of the books cover nutrition and hydration information. While the exercises are delineated in step-by-step thumbnail photographs, other action shots keep up the momentum of the text. This will whet readers’ appetites for further information.

In terms of originality, a few series stand out. Gareth Stevens’s “Top Score Math” and its “Training for Sports” present typical sports from unusual angles. The Child’s World’s “Weird Sports” describes highly unusual races and activities, while Capstone’s “Velocity: Hip-Hop Dancing” will engage hi/lo readers. Rosen’s “Hunting: Pursuing Wild Game!” provides the in-depth treatment that older readers crave. Finally, Capstone’s “Pebble Plus: Cheerleading,” “Sports Illustrated Kids: Game Day,” “Sports Illustrated Kids: The All-Time Best of Sports,” and “Blazers: Big Air,” and Gareth Stevens’s “Play Ball: Baseball,” while unremarkable in organization or concept, can refresh an older collection.

Read Series Made Simple, School Library Journal's guide to the latest series nonfiction