(3) 4-6 This well-written account presents a sympathetic and rounded portrait of the famous hockey player's career. Stewart describes both Lemieux's hockey feats and his battle with cancer, though little else about his private life. Supplementing the narrative are well-chosen, appropriately captioned black-and-white and color photos. Ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Overcoming Adversity series. Illustrated with standard black-and-white photos, these well-rounded biographies chronicle the lives of three athletes who have survived challenges. Seles fought post-traumatic stress disorder after being assaulted; Lemieux battled Hodgkin's disease; Devers's thyroid condition nearly ended her career. Their portraits of perseverance are inspiring. Seles and Lemieux contain career statistics; Devers lists related websites; all feature timelines. Bib., ind. [Review covers these titles: Monica Seles, Mario Lemieux, Gail Devers.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Sports Reports series. Athletes from football, basketball, hockey, and baseball are profiled in books that emphasize professional achievements but reveal limited information about each sportsman's personality. The accessible format, which includes a large typeface, wide margins, and fact boxes, will lure reluctant readers; the accompanying black-and-white photos all look the same and are frequently dark. A list of stats is included in each volume. Ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta