Women in Sports Babe Didrikson Zaharias: All-Around Athlete Jane Sutcliffe Illustrated by Jeni Reeves   Her mother called her "Baby," not her given name of Mildred. Because she could hit a baseball so well, the neighborhood children called her "Babe" after the King of Swat, and that was the way she was known her entire life. When Babe was a teenager, she told her family that one day she would participate in the Olympics. On her way to that goal, she played on a women's basketball team, and won medals at track and field events. With her skills, determination, hard work and practice she set three world records and won two gold medals and a silver at the 1932 Olympics and earned the title, "World's Greatest Woman Athlete." Well-chosen incidents in simple sentences and large type present the story of this amazing athlete's childhood and her rise to national prominence. An afterword tells how she then went on to a career in professional golf. The soft-toned illustrations fulfill their purpose of supporting clues for the text in this beginning reader, part of the "On My Own" series. 2000, Carolrhoda, Ages 6 to 9, $19.93. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo ISBN: 1-57505-421-3 Babe Didrikson Zaharias: Driven to Win Nancy Wakeman    If Nike commercials had been around sixty years ago, the famed "Bo Knows" ads might have had a different slant. Babe Didrikson Zaharias had Bo Jackson beat. Babe knew baseball. Babe would have known football if her high school had let girls on the team. Babe knew golf, track and field, basketball, swimming, diving, tennis, and volleyball--and she did all this at a time when it was considered "unfeminine" for a woman to be too athletic or aggressive. She had extraordinary natural talent in practically every sport she tried, as well as enormous confidence in herself. This confidence often went to extremes--Babe was known to enter a locker room and declare to her opponents, "Okay, Babe's here! Now who's gonna finish second?" Still, she was extremely dedicated to her family, sending money to her parents whenever she could. Her fierce determination helped her overcome the challenges facing a female athlete in a time of limited opportunities. Although she made her mark in many sports, she had the biggest impact on the world of golf. High society rejected her as lower class and brash. The crowds loved her, her jokes and her trick shots. She increased the popularity of the sport and eventually helped found the Ladies' Professional Golf Association. Babe's amazing story, as well as the author's talent for telling it, makes this a fun, compelling read. This book is part of the "Lerner Biographies" series. 2000, Lerner Publications, Ages 10 up, $25.26. Reviewer: Emily Schuster ISBN: 0-8225-4917-4 Babe Didrikson Zaharias: The Making of a Champion Russell Freedman    It's not Babe Ruth, but Babe Didrikson Zaharias--the greatest woman athlete of all time. Few men, if any, have ever bested her feats in sports from track and field to golf. Babe broke barriers for women. Contrary to Aver Brundage's belief that women had no place in sports, Babe proved that women could sweat, succeed, set new records and still enjoy dancing at night. Freedman presents Babe as a complete and complex person. Terrific photos show her in action. She was a one-woman team! If Babe is the tops in sports, Freedman holds that same honor in the field of photobiography. His books are "must reads" for all ages. 1999, Clarion, Ages 10 up, $18.00. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman ISBN: 0-3956-3367-2 The Best of the Best in Gymnastics Rachel Rutledge    Women gymnasts have always possessed precision, power and grace. But it was not until 1972 that a young Soviet athlete, Olga Korbut stepped into the Olympic spotlight and changed the face of the sport forever. Until Korbut, the stars of women's gymnastics were mature, conservative, technically sound veterans in the twenties or early thirties. Today's gymnasts are young risk-takers with a keen competitive spirit and a passion for perfection. This nonfiction book profiles eight of the world's best female gymnasts--Simona Amanar, Vanessa Atler, Dominique Dawes, Ling Jie, Svetlana Khorkina, Kristen Maloney, Shannon Miller and Dominique Moceanu. Chapters giving a brief overview of the sport are also included. This is a great reference book for school or library, and or a gift book for the budding gymnast! It is part of the "Women of Sports" series. 1999, Millbrook Press, Ages 8 to 12, $22.90 and 6.95. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree ISBN: 0-7613-1321-4 ISBN: 0-7613-0784-2 Billie Jean King: Tennis Trailblazer Joanne Lannin    The younger generation may not have been lucky enough to see Billie Jean King perform on the tennis court, but that doesn't mean it can't appreciate her accomplishments. In a day when an interest in sports was considered a poor trait for a woman to possess, King not only had an interest, she had exceptional talent and a will to succeed. When her parents urged her to give up football and baseball, King complied. She took up piano and tennis instead. Later, when piano came to interfere with her tennis training, she gave that up, too. With the support of her family, she decided on her goal--"to be the best tennis player in the world." Joanne Lannin provides a complete, well-researched biography including not only King's tennis accomplishments and the infamous "Battle of the Sexes" match, but also her activities in support of equal rights off the court. Readers will appreciate the straightforward account of the then-controversial life of this "pioneer." Lannin's three-page bibliography identifies many more valuable resources for interested readers. 1999, Lerner, Ages 10 to 14, $25.26 Reviewer: Heidi Green ISBN: 0-8225-4959-X Bonnie Blair - Top Speed Skater Liza N. Burby    This volume of the "Women in Sports" series features world speed skater and Olympic medal winner, Bonnie Blair. Simple text and full-page photos follow Bonnie from her initial fascination with speed skating at age seven to her three time Olympic medal competitions. The story is not only informational, but also inspiring through Bonnie's own philosophy of doing one's own best rather seeking to win. A glossary of skating terms is included. The Bonnie Blair story is one of six in the series. 1997, The Rosen Publishing Group, Ages 5 to 8, $10.46. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger ISBN: 0-8239-5066-2 Encyclopedia of Sports in the United States Kevin Osborn    Athletes, events, games and milestones are catalogued here in this detailed compendium of sports in the United States. Noteworthy in its detail, this book relates various accounts of sports in this country. Focusing on a wide variety of athletes, it uses sports as a window into American society. Each chapter begins with an introduction that sets the historical stage for the period to be covered with brief information about the times, including sports of the era and significant events outside the athletic world. An impressive number of athletes are profiled. In addition to such well-known male personalities as Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, and Arnold Palmer, many prominent women, including Billie Jean King and Babe Didrikson Zaharias, are included as well. The encyclopedia also commendably encompasses lesser-known sports figures, such as Miki Gorman, the first woman to win the Boston and New York Marathons, and Sharon Hedrick, a wheelchair Olympic gold medalist. While the encyclopedia discusses Jackie Robinson and his seminal role in integrating major league baseball, it does not include any information about the athletes who struggled while desegregating such other major sports as basketball and football. The athletes' profiles, heavily laden with statistical information, could have been more engaging if they included more personal information about their subjects. Nonetheless, this is an impressive, thoughtful effort, an excellent choice as source material for school projects. 1997, Scholastic, Ages 12 up, $17.95. Reviewer: Bruce Adelson ISBN: 0-590-69264-X Girl Power on the Playing Field Andy Steiner    What is it like to always feel not good enough just because you are a girl? This nonfiction book by Andy Steiner combines her own experiences with comments and stories by other girls. The overall focus is on girls in sports. By telling their stories, girls effectively describe the impact, both good and not so good, that playing a particular sport has had on their self esteem, friendships and the decisions they have made or may make in the future about their place in this world. This book is well organized into progressive chapters starting with "On your Mark" which includes various experiences girls have had in sports. Further chapters discuss "Why Girls Quit," "Why Girls Play," "Body Image and Self-defense" and most positively, "Trailblazers and Mentors." In the end, Steiner gives sound practical advice about the various sports, what you'll need to play, benefits, and how to learn more--a reference to additional reading material. The varied layout, variety in type, and highlighted quotes from girls keep this book interesting and the reader engaged. Girls from age ten and up will find it fun, motivating, and most importantly an opportunity to challenge their own and other's stereotypes and the limitations they have imposed. 2000, Lerner Publication Company, Ages 10 up, $9.00. Reviewer: Kathleen Orosz ISBN: 0-8225-2690-5 Good Sports: Winning, Losing and Everything In Between Therese Kauchak Illustrated by Norm Bendell    The American Girl Library brings readers this thorough and easy to read book about the hows, whens, and whys of begin a good sport. Included in chapters with such titles as "Game Time" and "Go Team!" is very useful information about being a team player and handling tough situations and difficult teammates. There's information for readers who want to compete at the highest level of their performance potential as well as for readers who take their sports more casually. There's even good information here for boys--but chances are they'll not be game enough to read about it in this book. There are important messages about competition and team spirit here; as well as good, practical suggestions for handling difficult parent/coach/peer pressures. The cartoon illustrations are a light touch adding humor (but not much diversity) to the topic. 1999, Pleasant Company, Ages 7 to 12, $8.95. Reviewer: Judy Katsh ISBN: 1-56247-747-1 Ice Stars Sydelle A. Kramer Illustrated by Jim Campbell    Ice-skating is one of the most popular Olympic sports and also a sport that consistently receives high television rating. One of the reasons is the beauty, grace and skill of recent women figure skating stars. In this chapter book, kids are introduced to four medal-winning skaters: Kristi Yamaguchi, Oksana Baiul, Nancy Kerrigan, and Michelle Kwan. Their lives and their introduction to skating were all very different. Kristi overcame a birth defect (clubfeet), and Oksana survived in spite of being a penniless orphan. What they share is the determination, discipline, and talent that make true champions. Their brief looks at their lives are interesting and inspirational. A good choice for reluctant readers. 1997, Grosset & Dunlap, Ages 7 to 10, $13.99 and $3.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot ISBN: 0-448-41649-2 ISBN: 0-448-41590-9 Julie Krone: Unstoppable Jockey Jeff Savage   Among the many firsts that she has achieved in her career, Julie Krone was the first woman to win a Triple Crown Race with her success in the 1993 Belmont Stakes. Starting with this inspiring achievement, Savage's biography discusses Krone's childhood and personal life but focuses primarily on her career, in which she has had to fight against prejudice and injury to continue riding. Many color photographs accompany the text. A glossary and a section of statistics and highlights of her career are also included. 1996, Lerner, Ages 10 up, $19.95 and $5.95. Reviewer: Tim Whitney ISBN: 0-8225-2888-6 ISBN: 0-8225-9728-4 Mia Hamm John Torres   The "Real-Life Reader Biography" series brings the lives of contemporary figures to print. Viewed as role models who have overcome great obstacles, the subjects of these nonfiction tales come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and economic and social arenas. Mia Hamm is undoubtedly the most popular woman soccer player today. She participated in the 1996 Olympics and has won the prestigious Chevrolet/U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year Award for five consecutive years. Mia was inspired by her adopted brother Garrett, who introduced her to the game and who, unfortunately, died in 1997. This short biography will appeal to elementary and middle school readers, reluctant readers, and ESL students. Chronology, index. 2000, Mitchell Lane Publishers, Ages 7 to 12, $15.95. Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner ISBN: 1-883845-94-7 Mia Hamm: Striking Superstar Mark Stewart    Part of the publisher's "Soccer's New Wave" series, chronicling many of today's new athletic icons, this title profiles soccer star Mia Hamm who won an Olympic Gold Medal as a leading member of the American Olympic soccer team. She is now a prominent reason why soccer has become so popular with young players, particularly girls, who have their own star athlete to emulate. Today, replicas of her number 9 Team USA Olympic jersey are big sellers, testifying to her enormous popularity, previously unheard of for a woman soccer player. Hamm's exposure to the sport began early in her life, when, as the daughter of a fighter pilot, she was a military brat, living an itinerant life as her father's assignments changed. But being exposed to different sets of children on a regular basis as her family moved around turned into a benefit to the future Olympian, exposing her early on to a wide variety of competition. Like other books in this series, this title explores the subject's life, from childhood to star, in a light, easy to understand style. Although there is not much detail in this 48-page title, this book will undoubtedly grab the attention of those reluctant readers who happen to be sports fans. 2000, The Millbrook Press, Ages 8 to 10, $20.90. Reviewer: Bruce Adelson ISBN: 0-7613-1802-X Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion: An Autobiography As told to Laura James   Middle schoolers will love this conversational presentation of ice-skating's Michelle Kwan. In addition to discussing the events surrounding her skating successes and failures, she presents her thoughts, emotions, and philosophies. This young lady presents her professional goals as well as the importance of her family and its support, especially in the volatile world of competitive ice-skating. Readers will enjoy the 16 pages of color photographs with hand-written comments. The bottom outside corner of the right pages contains an image of a skater. Flip through them and watch the tiny skater jump and spin. Includes a glossary. 1997, Scholastic, Ages 10 to 14, $14.95. Reviewer: Mary Sue Preissner Nancy Kerrigan: In My Own Words Nancy Kerrigan and Steve Woodward In this book the Olympic skater details her dedication to the sport, from her first days on the ice at the age of six to her silver medal winning performance in Norway. The theme throughout is the hard work and personal sacrifice necessary to succeed in the rarefied world of international competition. Support from a loving family is another component to Nancy's success. The text does not require in-depth knowledge of skating terminology to be understood, and the lesson is applicable to any sport or activity that requires dedication from young participants. 1996, Hyperion, Ages 8 to 12, $4.50. Reviewer: Dr. Judy Rowen ISBN: 0-7868-1042-4 On the Ice with Tara Lipinski Matt Christopher    When Tara Lipinski was 2 years old, she pretended to accept a medal as she watched the 1984 Olympics on television, little knowing what lay ahead. When she was three, her mother took her to a roller-skating rink (only because the rink was giving away Care Bears), and Tara began to get hooked on skating. After winning several roller-skating competitions, Tara switched to ice-skating, and rode her incredible talent all the way to the 1998 Olympics, where she became the youngest-ever winner of the gold medal in Ladies Figure Skating. Christopher chronicles Tara's successes as well as her falls, and the amazing sacrifices made by Tara's family in order to support her career. Tara's sheer love for the sport shines through, as well as her strong belief in international sportsmanship. For example, when Tara's parents wanted her to stay in the U.S. until right before her Olympic competition, Tara begged to stay in the Olympic village with the other athletes, saying, "Even if I don't win a medal, I'll always have the Olympics." With a strong sportswriting style and eye for detail, Christopher has once again created a biography that is sure to fly from the shelves. 1999, Little Brown, Ages 8 to 12, $4.50. Reviewer: Kathleen Kelly ISBN: 0-316-14257-3 Play Like a Girl: A Celebration of Women in Sports Sue Macy and Jane Gottesman   Women's athletics are enjoying a renaissance. With many highly publicized success stories, such as the WNBA, the USA Women's Gold Medal Softball team, soccer standout Mia Hamm, and many others, female sports stars are enjoying unprecedented attention, adulation, and media exposure. This colorful book, filled with impressive photos, celebrates women athletes. It contains thoughtful quotes from female sports figures and writers describing athletics in often lyrical fashion. "Every time, just before I take off in a race, I always feel like I'm in a dream," said Toni Cade Bambara. Madeline Blais is quoted as saying, "When you're losing, like tonight, it's over in seconds, a sudden skid on glare ice." With its poetic, almost ethereal style, this book will not be for everyone. But it does live up to its title-celebrating women in sports. 1999, Henry Holt, Ages 10 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Bruce Adelson ISBN: 0-8050-6071-5 The Story of Figure Skating Michael Boo    This is an amazing compendium of the facts and faces of an exciting, modern-day sport, including why it's called "figure skating." This hefty hardcover introduces us to such historical figures as Jackson Haines, the American-born "father of figure skating" and Sonja Henie, skating's first "ice queen." It traces the evolution of the sport's major disciplines--singles skating, pairs skating and ice dancing--as it relives career highlights of skating stars of the past, such as Dick Button, Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hammill. The author draws on an insider's knowledge, gained through the dozens of interviews he has conducted for American Skating World magazine, as he sheds light on skating moves, skate design, costumes, judging standards, training and promotion. Over seventy photographs amply illustrate the triumphs and tragedies of more than a century of figure skating. There's even an inside look at a Zamboni machine! 1998, William Morrow and Company, Ages 12 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree ISBN: 0-688-15820-X Superstars of Women's Golf Barry Wilner    This is a well-researched, hardcover book that addresses the need for more information about women sports professionals. A title in the "Female Sports Stars" series, the book starts at the very beginning, with the establishment of the Ladies Professional Golf Association in 1950, and continues to trace its evolution up to today's top international players. Mini-biographies of five of the greatest women golfers are also given: Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Nancy Lopez, Betsy King, Pat Bradley, and Patty Sheehan. The author, Barry Wilner, has been a sportswriter for the Associated Press for over twenty years. Illustrated with black and white photos throughout. Includes suggestions for further reading. A great reference book to have on hand when the LPGA turns 50 in the year 2000! 1997, Chelsea House Publishers, Ages 8 to 12, $7.95. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree ISBN: 0-7910-4390-8 Tara Lipinski: Queen of the Ice Bill Gutman    Olympic gold medal winner Tara Lipinski's brief but outstanding career is described in this biography. After the first two pages that introduce Tara and Michelle Kwan's figure skating competition at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, the story is launched. Tara's athletic life began at age three on roller skates. The story builds as Tara's sacrifices and competitions are described. Figure skating as a sport is given brief attention, enought to place Tara's efforts in context. The wins and losses leading up to the Olympics and Tara's decision to turn pro afterwards are reported. However, her joyful and disciplined personality is revealed through appropriate quotes and anecdotes, and the writing moves the reader to the heights she experienced with the Olympic win. The book is illustrated with good quality color photographs of Tara on and off the ice. Young readers with or without an interest in figure skating will enjoy this book. 1999, The Millbrook Press, Ages 9 to 16, $19.90 and $7.95. Reviewer: Jacki Vawter ISBN: 0-7613-1456-3 Weatherspoon's Basketball for Girls Teresa Weatherspoon, Tara Sullivan and Kelly Whiteside    Teresa Weatherspoon is a two-time winner of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Defensive Player of the Year award. In addition to being a professional basketball player, she also provides advice to young girls who wish to play the sport. The basics of the game including dribbling, passing, shooting, rebounding, offense and defense are stressed in this volume. Also, Weatherspoon provides information about warming up, stretching and conditioning before beginning play or practice. The appendices recap Weatherspoon's playing record and professional career and also include a glossary of basketball terms. This book is a good choice for any girl interested in basketball. Illustrated with black-and-white photos of Teresa Weatherspoon in practice and at games, there are also photos of a girl's basketball team practicing with Weatherspoon. Sprinkled throughout the book are personal observations written by Weatherspoon that are meant inspire and enlighten girls about life. A welcome addition to sports literature for girls, especially those who wish to learn more about basketball and fans of the WNBA. Girl's basketball coaches also may find this volume useful. 1999, John Wiley and Sons, Ages 10 up, $14.95. Reviewer: Ru Story-Huffman ISBN: 0-471-31784-5 Wilma Rudolph Victoria Sherrow Illustrations by Larry Johnson   The inspiring story of Olympic champion runner Wilma Rudolph is simply told for young readers in this brightly illustrated biography. Covering the same incidents in Rudolph's life as Kathleen Krull and David Diaz's 1996 picture book biography Wilma Unlimited, this telling will probably be easier for independent reading. There is one black-and-white photo of Rudolph, an afterward telling of Rudolph's life following the 1960 Olympics, and a list of important dates, but there is no bibliography. The date of Rudolph's death is given twice as 1995. Other sources give the date as November 12, 1994, causing one to question the thoroughness of the editing and researching of this series. It is part of the "On My Own Biographies" series. 2000, Carolrhoda, Ages 7 to 9, $21.27. Reviewer: Linnea Hendrickson ISBN: 1-57505-246-6 Winning Ways: A Photohistory of American Women in Sports Sue Macy    Sue Macy's enlightening black-and-white photohistory highlights the ups, downs, and Winning Ways of American women who slowly but surely changed the men-only- sports status quo, from 1890s bicyclers to 1990s ballplayers. 1996, Holt, Ages 11 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Beverly Kobrin ISBN: 0-8050-4147-8 WNBA We Got Next Gail Herman Illustrated by Edward Heins    One in a series of "All Aboard Reading" books, this one is for level three readers--second to third grades. It the story of the beginning of the Women's National Basketball Association, whose games were first televised in June 1997. The book traces the history of women's basketball and the emergence of the WNBA's most famous players. There are brief descriptions of the various teams that make up the WNBA and the first championship game. The tone is inspirational, and designed to create interest in women's sports. The book is liberally illustrated with photos and drawings. 1998, Grosset & Dunlap, Ages 7 to 9, $3.99. Reviewer: Meredith Kiger ISBN: 0-448-41865-7 Wonder Women of Sports S.A. Kramer Illustrations by Jim Campbell    Amy van Dyken, Gail Devers, Dominique Moceanu and Rebecca Lobo all became well known to millions of Americans through their achievements at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. This compilation, with concise prose and interesting details, tells how they overcame various obstacles to attain stardom. An asthmatic girl, Van Dyken struggled with sports and teasing peers. She battled her asthma and won a gold swimming medal in Atlanta. Moceanu suffered a severe leg injury before the '96 games. Nevertheless, she competed and helped her women's U.S. gymnastic team become the first to win the gold medal. A tomboy growing up, Lobo was told by one of her teachers to be more "ladylike" and abandon sports. Fortunately, she did not listen, growing up to help the University of Connecticut win the 1996 NCAA women's basketball championship and win a gold medal in women's basketball in Atlanta. Devers has Grave's Disease, a glandular affliction that once made even walking painful. With proper care and medication, she conquered the disease, winning track and field gold medals at the '92 & '96 Olympics. This book, part of the "All Aboard Reading" series, is a good choice for young readers interested in unconventional sports stories. 1997, Grosset & Dunlap, Ages 7 to 9, $3.95. Reviewer: Bruce Adelson ISBN: 0-448-41589-5 To stay up to date on new books by these author, consider subscribing to The Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. For your free trial, click here. added 8/3/00