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 stereotype about people with disabilities is shattered by this introduction to a dance company known as Dancing Wheels, a group composed of “sit down” and “stand-up” dancers. The story begins with Mary Fletcher-Verdi, born with spina bifida, a condition that causes weakness in the legs and spine. Mary always wanted to dance, and, encouraged by a family who focused on what she could do rather than what she couldn’t, she studied the art and eventually formed a mixed company, some who dance on their legs, and some who dance in wheelchairs. What she accomplished can be seen in this photo journal of the group’s dance workshop in which beginners and experienced dancers study and rehearse. Along the way, McMahon (One Belfast Boy, 1999, etc.) intersperses the history of the group, some details about the dancers, their families, and the rehearsal process that leads up to the final performance. Three children are featured, Jenny a wheelchair dancer, Devin, her stand-up partner, and Sabatino, the young son of Mary’s partner. The focus on these youngsters gives the reader a sense of their personalities and their lives with their families. Godt’s (Listen for the Bus, not reviewed, etc.) color photographs detail every aspect of the story and show the dancers at home and in rehearsal, interacting with each other, having fun, and finally performaning. They convey the dancer’s sense of joy as well as the commitment to the dance as an art form felt by the adult directors and teachers. An excellent book for helping children and adults expand their understanding about the abilities of the “disabled.” (Nonfiction. 7-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-395-88889-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2000
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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