(4) K-3 Illustrated by George Doutsiopoulos. Mamie Johnson was "the first female pitcher in professional baseball" in 1953. She faced discrimination because of gender (male players "grumbled about sharing the field with her"), size ("you're not as big as a peanut"), and race ("the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League wasn't ready to give black women the opportunity to try"). Though the illustrations can be stiff and cartoony, Johnson's determination and confidence shine. Bib.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Laura Freeman. Groundbreaking tennis player Althea Gibson (1927–2003) had an outsize personality and talent to match. From playing stickball in Harlem to becoming the first African American Wimbledon champion, the book covers her perseverance (despite a quick temper and daunting racial discrimination) and eventual triumphs. A concise, clear text tells Gibson's story with verve and immediacy. Digital illustrations add color, drama, and energy. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) 4-6 Super Soccer series. Men's and women's soccer fans should enjoy the variety of topics covered (in a somewhat cursory way) in this series with examples spanning the sport's history; however, the World Cup Heroes title is misleading since the examples are all men. Five brief, accessible, sports-action-packed chapters in each volume, with accompanying clear photos and occasional brief sidebars, should grab fans' attention. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review coveres these Super Soccer titles: Champion League Legends, Great Moments in Olympic Soccer, Women's World Cup Heroes, US Men's Professional Soccer, US Women's Professional Soccer, and World Cup Heroes.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ellen Rooney. This stirring picture-book biography introduces Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon with an official race number (having registered as "K. V. Switzer"). During the race, officials tried to block her path, but she evaded them and continued, determined to show that "women deserve to run too." Throughout the text, Chaffee repeats the sound of running feet ("Pat, Pat, Pat"), setting the pace and building momentum. Rooney's mixed-media collage illustrations add emotional depth and effectively use perspective. An author's note adds further biographical and historical details. Bib.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: They Survived series. In clear, vivid texts, these series entries tell the true stories of two courageous individuals: surfer Hamilton, who lost an arm in a shark attack, and professional climber Ralston, who amputated his own hand to escape being trapped in a canyon. Both books rely on photographs from their movie versions, clearly noted in the captions, and include tips on dealing with deadly situations. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: They Survived titles: Surviving a Canyon and Surviving a Shark Attack

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(4) 4-6 Super Soccer series. Men's and women's soccer fans should enjoy the variety of topics covered (in a somewhat cursory way) in this series with examples spanning the sport's history; however, the World Cup Heroes title is misleading since the examples are all men. Five brief, accessible, sports-action-packed chapters in each volume, with accompanying clear photos and occasional brief sidebars, should grab fans' attention. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review coveres these Super Soccer titles: Champion League Legends, Great Moments in Olympic Soccer, Women's World Cup Heroes, US Men's Professional Soccer, US Women's Professional Soccer, and World Cup Heroes.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) 4-6 Epic Athletes series. Illustrated by Cory Thomas. U.S. women's soccer player Morgan and pro-basketball guard Curry are featured in these fast-paced profiles. Wetzel effectively connects each star's innate skills, clutch play, and hard work with their character strengths and life stories. Wetzel's game-action accounts mix play-by-play sportscasting with color commentating. Quotes (unfortunately undocumented) and comic-style black-and-white illustrations (including a final twelve-page, action-packed "instant replay" game highlight) appear throughout the books. Review covers these Epic Athletes titles: Alex Morgan and Stephen Curry.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 Written with her customary succinct text and illustrated with simple yet eloquent acrylics, Winter recounts the Williams sisters' tennis careers, from childhood practices in Compton, California, to international championships. It is clear that their paths have not been easy, and the sustenance of their sororal bond is appropriately invoked and celebrated in this tribute. Bib.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. More of an inspirational piece than a straightforward biography, this picture book relates the difficult early years through the Williams sisters' rise to tennis fame and their ensuing setbacks. Themes of hard work, perseverance, and family loyalty are emphasized throughout Bryant's text, which includes occasional (unsourced) quotations. Cooper's trademark subtractive illustrations are full of life, emotion, and character.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) K-3 Pebble Plus: Great Asian Americans series. Using short, simple sentences and engaging photos, this early-reader biography introduces the Chinese American figure skater. Key moments in Kwan's professional life are covered briefly and chronologically, accompanied by a cumulative timeline. Ample white space around the text and large pictures make for an attractive and supportive layout for new readers. This series fills a gap for children's biographies about Asian Americans. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(1) K-3 Illustrated by James E. Ransome. The wife-and-husband team celebrates tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, focusing on their formative childhoods and the way their preparation and talent fundamentally changed the game. As Cline-Ransome's chronological account progresses, the sisters are positioned farther apart, eventually on opposite sides of the net, in Ransome's illustrations. A final spread, showing them holding hands after Serena bested Venus in the 2002 French Open, communicates the sisters' ultimate devotion to each other. Reading list. Bib.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) YA With Sarah Durand. WNBA player and Olympic Gold Medalist Delle Donne's lively, honest, and inspiring memoir discusses the many challenges she faced (notably chronic, painful Lyme disease) on her journey to basketball stardom. Written in an engaging, conversational voice, Delle Donne's account mixes lots of basketball action with moving descriptions of her supportive family and her struggle to re-develop a love of basketball after burning out.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Sports All-Stars series. Succinct, easy-to-read biographies of these sports stars each include a brief look at the 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 Stats" for that sport are appended. There are four other fall 2018 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Sports All-Stars titles: Aaron Judge, Breanna Stewart, Dak Prescott, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(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 Stats" for that sport are appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Sports All-Stars titles: Danica Patrick, Derek Carr, Ezekiel Elliott, Kris Byrant, and Matt Ryan.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 4-6 With nimble writing and meaty quotes, Killion's collective biographies target "the most important players--not necessarily the best but the ones with the biggest impact" in America and internationally. She doesn't skirt tough topics (e.g., alcohol abuse) as she briefly profiles past, present, and up-and-coming athletes. A broad-strokes history of men's and women's soccer, top-ten lists, and action photos are included. Ind. Review covers these titles: [cf2Champions of Men's Soccer] and Champions of Women's Soccer.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 It's 1957, and talented pitcher Katy Gordon isn't eligible to play Little League baseball because she's a girl. Frustrated, she sets off to fight the rule and discovers the stories of a dozen (real-life) women baseball pioneers. Katy's persistence is admirable in this light story of resistance. Appended with additional information on the inspiring women ("Meet Katy's Twelve Ballplayers") and an author's note. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cecilia Puglesi. Kathryn "Tubby" Johnston initially resorted to subterfuge to join a Little League team in 1950. Fortunately, her coach recognized her talent, letting her play even after she'd confessed her gender. Lang details Johnston's resolve and baseball skills convincingly. The appended photographs of Johnston in uniform convey her determination better than Puglesi's retro, cartoonish illustrations. Back matter about female ballplayers throughout history adds context. Timeline.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 With Hannah Long. A Russian orphan and double amputee adopted by an American family, Jessica Long became the youngest member of the U.S. Paralympics swim team. Jessica's first-person narrative recounts her incredible ascent to competitive-swimming success via chapters (each titled "The Moment I...") highlighting important anecdotes of both failure and triumph. An inspiring and intimate memoir filled with photographs of the athlete's early and present life.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) YA Muhammad details her journey from discovering fencing in a New Jersey high school to the 2016 Olympics, where she was the first American Olympian to wear a hijab. Her story is inspiring and worthy, and Muhammad maintains an upbeat tone, even through somber moments involving racism she's seen as a black Muslim in a predominantly white sport. A color-photo insert, advice, and author Q&A are included. Glos.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Micha Archer. This picture book biography of the first woman to run the Boston Marathon--in defiance of the rules--is short on specifics (dates, ages, etc.) but clear on Gibb's determination. Pimentel's straightforward text builds drama and suspense. Archer's vibrant mixed-media and collage art portrays a variety of settings; a nice touch is the bottom-of-the-page border marking the miles of Gibb's progress during the race. Bib.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018