(4) 4-6 Versus series. Each volume pits a present-day superstar against one from an earlier era. Comparisons include technical skills, statistics and records, and past or potential legacies. Sports fans will appreciate the many action photographs illustrating the choppy but accessible texts; side-by-side charts provide additional data. No attempt is made to name the superior athlete: that decision is left to the reader. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Versus titles: Lionel Messi vs. Pelé, Tiger Woods vs. Jack Nicklaus, Sidney Crosby vs. Wayne Gretzky, LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan, Serena Williams vs. Billie Jean King, and Tom Brady vs. Joe Montana.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin Sylvester. Taylor is psyched to have made the same youth ice hockey team as the "kid they are already calling the Great One." But being Wayne Gretzky's teammate is nerve-wracking, challenging Taylor's self-confidence. Coach Wally Gretzky's pep talk helps assure Taylor: "You don't have to be great at something to be great." Uneven illustrations reflect Taylor's development within this didactic, if well-meaning, story.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) K-3 All Aboard Reading series. Illustrated by Ken Call. Opening with Wayne Gretzky's 1999 retirement, this simply written biography follows the sports great from his youth as a hockey phenomenon through his amazing career in the NHL. With an emphasis on the athlete's professional life, the book provides an adequate introduction for early readers. A combination of photos and muddy color illustrations accompanies the text.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) K-3 Through her mother's accidental bid at a charity auction, a young girl wins an autographed Wayne Gretzky hockey stick. A consistent, although sometimes stiff rhyme tells how the new stick helps the girl in her hockey game while Gretzky's scoring falters. Sacrificing her prized possession, the girl returns the stick to her hero, who thankfully, gets his game back. Cartoonlike illustrations accompany the slight tale.

Reviewer: Charlotte S. Huck

(4) 4-6 Sports Achievers series. Three new entries in the series, spotlighting stars of volleyball, football, and basketball, join a revision of a previous volume on Wayne Gretzky. The books strike a good balance between personal and professional information, though the coverage is never very deep. Gretzky is illustrated with black-and-white photos; the other books are chiefly illustrated in color. A section of sports stats concludes each volume. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Book Report Biography series. "The best thing that ever happened to hockey" is the hyperbolic way Santella describes ice hockey superstar Wayne Gretzky. This adulatory tone permeates the biography, which is filled with play action from Gretzky's record-setting career and descriptions of his impressive accomplishments. Supplemented with black-and-white photos, the text briefly discusses his family life, but the emphasis is on his hockey feats. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman