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(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Liana Hee.
Princess Brianna Bright loves ballet and fencing, but she isn't very good at either--until thieves steal jewels from the castle, and Brianna combines ballet moves with fencing to save the day. Calvert cleverly points out similarities between ballet and fencing in this tale of girl power. Hee's digital illustrations are slick and twee but capture the strength and grace of Brianna's movements. Glos.
291 pp.
| Little
| July, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-0-316-47700-0$17.99
|
EbookISBN 978-0-316-47701-7
(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.
(4)
K-3
Big Buddy Olympic Biographies series.
As each book states, these professional football teams "have had good seasons and bad. But time and again, they've proven themselves." The volumes focus on the good, highlighting the teams' Super Bowl victories, winning coaches, and star players. Accompanying the choppy texts are plenty of color and archival photographs showcasing players, stadiums, and fans. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Books: The NFL's Greatest Teams titles: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills.
32 pp.
| Amicus High Interest
| September, 2015
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-60753-807-3$19.95
|
PaperISBN 978-1-68152-048-3$9.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-60753-896-7
(3)
K-3
Summer Olympic Sports series.
"The action. The drama. The glory." This series introduces popular sports included in the summer Olympics. Each volume traces the sport's history through a worldwide lens and discusses the technical aspects of the game or individual events within the sport. With attention-grabbing prose, high-interest subject matter, and captivating action shots, the series should be attractive to budding athletes. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Summer Olympic Sports titles: Combat Sports, Track and Field, Volleyball, Basketball, Gymnastics, and Swimming and Diving.
(2)
YA
Illustrated by
Mike Cavallaro.
Foiled's feisty heroine Aliera makes a return appearance, ready to "save Faerie from the big bad guys." Of course, there's also high school and fencing class, and "balancing the mundane world with the mystical" isn't exactly easy-breezy. Throughout the graphic novel, Cavallaro plays with contrast, interrupting the muted gray palette with bursts of color whenever fantastical creatures or objects appear on the scene.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2013
341 pp.
| HarperTeen
| September, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-206307-6$17.99
(4)
YA
Starling Saga series.
Mason Starling, champion fencer at Gosforth Academy, thinks her biggest challenge is training for a spot on the national team. Then a sudden storm unleashes beasts from another world, as well as a mysterious swordsman who calls himself the Fennrys Wolf. The muddled use of different mythologies can be hard to follow, but vivid writing keeps things lively.
294 pp.
| HarperTeen
| March, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-154791-1$16.99
(3)
YA
Contemporary girl Jill, a champion fencer, time-travels to the Caribbean in the 1700s. She's strong-armed into joining Captain Marjory Cooper's pirate crew and undergoes a challenging but educational apprenticeship. Rich detail about pirate life, along with a colorful lady-pirate captain and some fencing derring-do, give the well-wrought adventure heft (awkwardly framed time-slip aside). Glos.
(2)
YA
Illustrated by
Mike Cavallaro.
In this graphic novel, top-notch fencer Aliera learns that her "too good-looking to be true" lab partner isn't human--then discovers she herself is the world's "Defender." Aliera is colorblind, and when she dons her fencing mask, vibrant colors explode on the page. The juxtaposition of reality and fantasy is compelling, as is Aliera's strong voice.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2010
48 pp.
| Abrams
| January, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8109-5720-6$18.95
(4)
4-6
Illustrated by
Eric Velasquez.
Joseph Boulogne--his mother a slave, his father a wealthy Frenchman--became a celebrated composer in the eighteenth century. The fascinating story of his life is told through narrative text; sidebars and timelines also provide historical context, though the density of text is daunting. Velasquez's atmospheric paintings blend well with the many archival drawings and artwork. Bib., glos.
246 pp.
| Bloomsbury
| October, 2006
|
TradeISBN 1-58234-852-9$16.95
(4)
YA
Calypso Chronicles series.
Calypso has never been happier: she's made the national fencing team, has many friends at her posh British boarding school, and her parents are back together. So when her boyfriend dumps her, she first plummets into the depths of despair then plots to win him back. Fans of the series are sure to enjoy the melodramatics.