(4) 4-6 Wild World of Sports series. These books explore a broad range of sports topics primarily focused on unusual individuals and events. Scandals and Careers focus on athletes whose participation ended abruptly; Bike Polo and Octopush are two of the uncommon sports featured in Offbeat; and Characters introduces quirky players and rebels of the sports world. Large photographs enliven each very cursory overview. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Wild World of Sports titles: Sports' Most Memorable Characters, Careers Cut Short, Offbeat Sports, and Biggest Scandals in Sports.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Sports Trivia series. Trivia questions, divided into four chapters by difficulty, appear directly above answers. The format makes "cheating" hard to avoid: "In which sport did Lindsey Vonn win a gold medal in 2010?" is asked on the facing page to Vonn's downhill skiing picture. Sports fans are better off quizzing one another. A final quiz is provided. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following SportsZone: Sports Trivia titles: Basketball Trivia, Olympic Trivia, Baseball Trivia, Soccer Trivia, Football Trivia, and Hockey Trivia.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) 4-6 SportsZone: Sports' Best Ever series. Each volume profiles fourteen of the best-ever players in its athletic category. Ranging from pioneers (Jacques Plante, who wore the first hockey goalie mask) to current stars (Serena Williams), the readable texts highlight what made each player exceptional. Restrained layouts consist of two-page bios with two photographs and an informational stats box. "Honorable mentions" are included. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following SportsZone: Sports' Best Ever titles: The Best Golfers of All Time, The Best Tennis Players of All Time, The Best Hockey Players of All Time, The Best Soccer Players of All Time, The Best Extreme Sports Stars of All Time, and The Best Auto Racers of All Time.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) 4-6 Playing Pro Sports series. Each basic volume includes a brief history of the sport, rules, skills needed for success, and vignettes of outstanding athletes and memorable games. Sports fans will appreciate the clear but abbreviated information about their favorite teams and personalities. Numerous photographs, sidebars, inserts, and flashy graphics accompany the readable texts. Training tips and equipment diagrams are appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Playing Pro Sports titles: Playing Pro Football, Playing Pro Basketball, Playing Pro Hockey, and Playing Pro Baseball.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Goal! Latin Stars of Soccer series. The international soccer stars highlighted in these small-trim, quick biographical profiles have all overcome injuries, family pressures, and professional challenges to become world-class athletes. Supplemented with color photos and a listing of each star's career highlights and awards, the well-written narratives effectively weave subjects' personal stories and athletic achievements into bios that will inform and inspire young soccer fans. Websites. Ind. Review covers these Goal! Latin Stars of Soccer titles: Soccer Star André Iniesta, Soccer Star Kaká, Soccer Star Robinho, Soccer Star Cristiano Ronaldo, Soccer Star Lionel Messi, and Soccer Star Ronaldinho.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA African-American Icons series. These biographies highlight contemporary African American singers and actors. The texts don't sugarcoat their subjects' lives (e.g., Jay-Z's drug dealing past is fair game, along with Oprah's criticism of his songs' use of the N-word). Many of the sound-bite-ish quotes come from pop-culture interviews ("According to People magazine..."; "...he later told Playboy magazine..."). Oddly, no photos or illustrations are included. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these African-American Icons titles: Jay-Z, Chris Rock, Tyler Perry, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jennifer Hudson, and Beyoncé.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA African-American Icons series. These biographies highlight contemporary African American singers and actors. The texts don't sugarcoat their subjects' lives (e.g., Jay-Z's drug dealing past is fair game, along with Oprah's criticism of his songs' use of the N-word). Many of the sound-bite-ish quotes come from pop-culture interviews ("According to People magazine..."; "...he later told Playboy magazine..."). Oddly, no photos or illustrations are included. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these African-American Icons titles: Jay-Z, Chris Rock, Tyler Perry, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jennifer Hudson, and Beyoncé.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Sports Illustrated Kids: Legends in the Making series. These books profile current standout players in professional baseball and basketball. The formulaic trading card–like layout features one large action photo, a few adulatory paragraphs filled with impressive stats, and a quick "Did You Know?" sidebar showcasing interesting facts on each player (Derrick Rose was the youngest MVP in NBA history; Andrew McCutchen scored three home runs in one game). Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Sports Illustrated Kids: Legends in the Making titles: Basketball Legends in the Making and Baseball Legends in the Making.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Inside College Basketball series. Each title begins with a significant championship then glides through the college team's history, notable coaches, all-star players, and memorable highs and lows, including Indiana coach Bobby Knight's record wins and his infamous "bad behavior." The layout is standard and the photographs vary in quality, but college basketball fans will eat up the statistics, game details, and anecdotes. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Inside College Basketball titles: Louisville Cardinals, Florida Gators, Indiana Hoosiers, and Syracuse Orange.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Playmakers series. Part biographical narratives, part game commentaries, this series follows current elite NFL quarterbacks. Each book focuses on the player's athletic accomplishments (Luck's record-setting rookie year) but also on their backgrounds and personal lives (Kaepernick's adoptive upbringing). The text is dry, but exciting color photographs and "fun facts and quotes" add interest for reluctant readers and sports fans. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Playmakers titles: Joe Flacco, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, and Colin Kaepernick.

Reviewer: Meredith M. Sittman

(3) 4-6 SportsZone: Inside College Basketball series. These volumes offer histories of the title college basketball programs along with play-by-play details of important games and information about star players and coaches, all supported by plentiful archival photographs. Authored by professional sports writers, the conversational texts will engage basketball fans and reluctant readers alike. Appended "Quick Stats" and "Quotes and Anecdotes" enhance the presentation. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these SportsZone: Inside College Basketball titles: Georgetown Hoyas, Connecticut Huskies, Duke Blue Devils, and Kansas Jayhawks.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) 4-6 Playmakers series. This series presents athlete biographies for middle-grade readers. Hometowns, family lives, and charitable work are briefly noted, but the dry text mostly highlights players' careers. "Fun Facts and Quotes" offer more personal information: Nowitzki refuses to endorse products to earn extra money; Brady almost always signs autographs when asked. Captioned color photographs add interest. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Playmakers titles: Dirk Nowitzki, Tom Brady, Carmelo Anthony, and Roy Halladay.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(4) 4-6 Playmakers series. This series presents athlete biographies for middle-grade readers. Hometowns, family lives, and charitable work are briefly noted, but the dry text mostly highlights players' careers. "Fun Facts and Quotes" offer more personal information: Nowitzki refuses to endorse products to earn extra money; Brady almost always signs autographs when asked. Captioned color photographs add interest. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Playmakers titles: Dirk Nowitzki, Tom Brady, Carmelo Anthony, and Roy Halladay.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(4) 4-6 Inside College Football series. This series introduces long-standing college football teams. Each volume begins with the team's recent National Championship then moves to the program's inception and its history, told mostly through the progression of coaches. Uninspired design and small font make for dull-looking packages, but archival photographs add interest. These will be appealing mostly to devout college football fans. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Inside College Football titles: LSU Tigers, Florida Gators, Auburn Tigers, and Alabama Crimson Tide.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Playmakers series. These volumes provide brief profiles of football and basketball standouts. The choppy texts focus on each player's biggest games and impressive statistical accomplishments, while also touching on his background and personal life, such as Lin's time at Harvard, Tebow's strong Christian beliefs, the Manning family's football legacy, and Durant's 3.0 college GPA. Color photographs capture the athletic action. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Playmakers titles: Tim Tebow, Jeremy Lin, Kevin Durant, and Eli Manning.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Playmakers series. These volumes provide brief profiles of football and basketball standouts. The choppy texts focus on each player's biggest games and impressive statistical accomplishments, while also touching on his background and personal life, such as Lin's time at Harvard, Tebow's strong Christian beliefs, the Manning family's football legacy, and Durant's 3.0 college GPA. Color photographs capture the athletic action. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Playmakers titles: Tim Tebow, Jeremy Lin, Kevin Durant, and Eli Manning.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) 4-6 SportsZone: Inside the NBA series. Rich with facts, play-by-play game details, and an abundance of archival photographs, these volumes provide engaging histories of four NBA teams. In each book, coaches and players are highlighted (e.g., from Celtics legends Bill Russell and Larry Bird to contemporary stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett). The squads' triumphs and tragedies are supported by stats, quotes, and anecdotes. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these SportsZone: Inside the NBA titles: Charlotte Bobcats, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) K-3 SportsZone: Playmakers series. Focusing on the stars' sports accomplishments and game highlights, these brief, adulatory profiles also touch on the players' childhoods and personal lives along with mentioning charitable contributions to their communities. Brees and Bryant are slightly better organized than the other two. The many clear photographs will satisfy sports fans. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these SportsZone: Playmakers titles: Drew Brees, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Sidney Crosby.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 SportsZone: Playmakers series. Focusing on the stars' sports accomplishments and game highlights, these brief, adulatory profiles also touch on the players' childhoods and personal lives along with mentioning charitable contributions to their communities. Brees and Bryant are slightly better organized than the other two. The many clear photographs will satisfy sports fans. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these SportsZone: Playmakers titles: Drew Brees, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Sidney Crosby.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) YA Legendary Athletes series. These reasonably comprehensive volumes explore the title athletes' childhoods, early careers, and rise within their sports. Admirable attention is paid to the societal and political constraints facing the men and women, in addition to their own social activism (e.g., King's fight for women's and gay rights, Ashe's work against apartheid in South Africa). A good selection of photographs are included. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Legendary Athletes titles: Billie Jean King, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Arthur Ashe, and Jesse Owens.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan