Red-card it.
Let’s talk about the most amazing soccer stars ever!
Billioud’s list of 40 is fair, but its struggles with format, content, and illustrations mean that it may be treasured by only the most die-hard fans of the sport. Information on each player covers one page, which is divided into seven text boxes, with additional trivia added to an illustrated image of the player on the facing page. The information provided is superficial and may leave readers with more questions than answers; for example, the section on French player Zinédine Zidane mentions his infamous head-butt in the 2006 World Cup final but neglects to provide any context for the action. The brevity of the text makes no allowance for readers fully unfamiliar with the game. Cristiano Ronaldo’s section mentions his “succession of drag-backs, step-overs, and nutmegs,” but the book fails to define any of these terms. Almasty’s illustrations feature a collection of digitally created characters that are akin to tall, sporty versions of LEGO minifigures. With little subtlety in palette and detail, many of the players appear to be an interchangeable lot. Is that man Cha Baum-Kun of South Korea or Diego Maradona of Argentina? Without the uniforms as a guide, it’s hard to tell. Finally, in the history of soccer, surely more than four women have risen to the top of anyone’s list.
Red-card it. (Nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: May 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-78603-142-6
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
A tighter focus would make this fascinating life story even more intriguing.
In this graphic memoir by sports journalist Shah, a ninth grader pursues his passion in the face of familial expectations pushing him toward a medical career, while also navigating the perils of high school social life.
It’s 1995, and Indian American Amar is desperate to meet the Chicago Bulls—Michael Jordan, in particular—when they stop by his Orlando, Florida, school. A lucky break leads him to his first sports interview, with Phil Jackson, and his tenacity takes him further, leading to multiple conversations with Shaquille O’Neal. But Amar’s luck in journalism doesn’t spill over to his relationship with his crush, blond Kasey Page (“like a mixture of Cameron Diaz, Tinkerbell, and heaven”), or his efforts to remain close with best friends Rohit and Cherian, who start spending more time with other classmates. The work relies on captions as much as plot developments to propel the story. It also follows a broad cast of characters—close and former friends, antagonists, supportive adults, and famous athletes—who appear in multiple storylines. The story accurately depicts the complexities of life as a young teen, though overlapping life challenges pull it in multiple directions, leaving some threads underexplored and hastily wrapped up. Doucet illustrates the characters using loose, disjointed outlines that give the artwork a sense of movement, and the colorful backgrounds use patterns and action lines to indicate a wide array of emotions.
A tighter focus would make this fascinating life story even more intriguing. (author’s note, photographs) (Graphic memoir. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9781546110514
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In no particular order and using no set criteria for his selections, veteran sportscaster Berman pays tribute to an arbitrary gallery of baseball stars—all familiar names and, except for the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez, retired from play for decades. Repeatedly taking the stance that statistics are just numbers but then reeling off batting averages, home-run totals, wins (for pitchers) and other data as evidence of greatness, he offers career highlights in a folksy narrative surrounded by photos, side comments and baseball-card–style notes in side boxes. Readers had best come to this with some prior knowledge, since he casually drops terms like “slugging percentage,” “dead ball era” and “barnstorming” without explanation and also presents a notably superficial picture of baseball’s history—placing the sport’s “first half-century” almost entirely in the 1900s, for instance, and condescendingly noting that Jackie Robinson’s skill led Branch Rickey to decide that he “was worthy of becoming the first black player to play in the majors.” The awesome feats of Ruth, Mantle, the Gibsons Bob and Josh, Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb and the rest are always worth a recap—but this one’s strictly minor league. (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4022-3886-4
Page Count: 138
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
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