(3) 4-6 Spectacular Sports series. "Baseball wasn't always centered on hitting the ball over the fence." Doeden's well-organized presentation begins by tracing the game's evolution from a focus on "methodically moving runners from base to base" to celebrating powerful, record-breaking home runs (a discussion of the steroids era is included). Other accessible chapters cover physics of the home run, "some of the most memorable long balls in major-league history," the twenty-five "most prolific home run hitters," and the home run's MLB future. Enhanced with lots of action photos, Doeden's engaging style brings the story to life. A glossary, source notes, a reading list, and an index are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: They Survived series. An abundance of photos--both black-and-white and color--accompany vivid descriptions of Shackleton and his crew and their massive effort to survive after their ship is trapped in ice in Antarctica. Moving logically and chronologically, Doeden depicts the bravery and teamwork that resulted in the crew surviving the ordeal. Back matter includes "Surviving Deadly Situations" tips that encourage perseverance and self-reliance. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: They Survived series. While the sinking of the Titanic is probably familiar to young readers, the heroism of Louis Zamperini may not be. Both readable volumes contain detailed texts accompanied by both black-and-white and color photos. The chronological narratives are compelling, enhanced by boxed photo captions. Each book concludes with a "surviving deadly situations" feature with practical tips for doing just that. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: They Survived titles: Surviving a World War II Prison Camp and Surviving A Shipwreck

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) 4-6 Spectacular Sports series. Spectacular Sports series. Doeden's lively, fast-paced narrative first addresses what clutch means in a sports context. Then he focuses on individual and team sports in which an athlete or team has responded positively or negatively to game-changing challenges, often resulting in surprising, nail-biting finishes. Well-chosen action photos provide young sports enthusiasts with glimpses of clutch players and performances throughout modern history. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Heroes of World War II series. This series provides readers with insights beyond the usual recounting of battles and politics commonly found in juvenile WWII resources, focusing instead on more personal aspects of the war and on anecdotes of heroism. Maps and archival images enrich the clear, informative texts; periodic "Hero Highlight" and "STEM Highlight" sidebars provide interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Heroes of World War II titles: D-Day Invasion, World War II Resistance Fighters, Navajo Code Talkers, World War II Spies and Secret Agents, Attack on Pearl Harbor, and Japanese American Internment Camps.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Heroes of World War II series. This series provides readers with insights beyond the usual recounting of battles and politics commonly found in juvenile WWII resources, focusing instead on more personal aspects of the war and on anecdotes of heroism. Maps and archival images enrich the clear, informative texts; periodic "Hero Highlight" and "STEM Highlight" sidebars provide interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Heroes of World War II titles: D-Day Invasion, World War II Resistance Fighters, Navajo Code Talkers, World War II Spies and Secret Agents, Attack on Pearl Harbor, and Japanese American Internment Camps.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Spectacular Sports series. A mix of historical black-and-white and contemporary color photos effectively complement Doeden's information- and action-packed narrative describing the origins of soccer and the history of men and women's World Cup competitions. The book features exciting highlights from memorable Cup games and heroics from star players. Full-page inserts also discuss World Cup incidents involving bribery, fan "hooliganism," and on-field rough play.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox Sports Stories series. Illustrated by Aburtov. Black-and-white full-page illustrations accompany these hi-lo stories involving talented athletes in tennis (Doubles), football (Punter's), bull-riding (Rodeo), and golf (Secondhand). The message-laden texts highlight the importance of focus and fair play to achieve team victory and accomplish personal goals. The engaging, action-packed stories should appeal to sports enthusiasts. Each book is supplemented by background on the sport, discussion questions, and writing prompts. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox Sports Stories titles: Double Trouble, Punter's Pride, Rodeo Challenge, and Secondhand Slice.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Doeden's slim volume on the history of the Negro Leagues is reasonably comprehensive. Establishing solid facts amid a "knowledge gap"--from lack of newspaper coverage, inadequately kept statistics, and unreliable oral anecdotes--is a challenge. Doeden's writing is cautious where readers might long for more enthusiasm, but this is still a worthwhile addition to baseball collections. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 4-6 Gateway Biographies series. While staying politically neutral, this adulatory look at the current first daughter's life, upbringing, views, and ambitions under the shadow of her father (before, during, and after his presidential campaign) will leave readers with a positive personal impression of the real-estate and fashion businesswoman. Photographs accompany a wordy text on bland page layouts. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 4-6 This well-written sports-history title focuses on "arguably the biggest sporting event of the year." Doeden includes many interesting tidbits about the Super Bowl's most memorable matchups, plays, coverage, and halftime shows, and also follows the NFL's evolution from its 1920s "infancy" to its current status as America's "most popular sports league." Captioned photos appear throughout the clean design. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Gateway Biographies series. Sports icon Ali is briefly profiled in this superficial introduction. From his Chicago childhood spent sparring in a neighborhood gym to his successful career and controversial political activism, this biography hits the highlights of Ali's life and career without digging too deeply. Aside from all the undefined boxing terminology, this is an approachable resource for young report-writers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) 4-6 Sports All-Stars series. Succinct, easy-to-read biographies of these sports stars include brief looks at each person's childhood before focusing on that individual's particular training and road to athletic success. Dramatic narration, direct quotes, color photographs, and sidebars round out the informative main texts; all-star statistics for that sport are appended. There are four other spring 2017 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Sports All-Stars titles: Lindsey Vonn, Stephen Curry, Luke Kuechly, and Simone Biles.