For football nerds who wonder about the “Madden” behind their favorite video game.
“Doink!” A biography of sports icon and train lover John Madden, who, at his core, is still just a big fan himself.
“Madden NFL” is not John Madden’s sole accomplishment, and many of its contemporary players may wonder about their beloved video game’s namesake. This middle-grade biography follows Madden from his childhood days playing sports in empty lots through college play and a brief stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, ending in injury. The real legacy unfolds through his tenure as one of the youngest coaches in NFL history (for the Oakland Raiders) and as an accessible broadcaster with an unforgettable role in a beer commercial. Journalistic writing blends with narrative elements as Madden is described as a curious, empathetic sports lover who loved winning and still loves the game. The only named woman in the book is Madden’s wife, Virginia Fields, who, like Madden, is white; race in the NFL is only briefly discussed. Along with the development of Madden’s career, readers gain a crash course in other familiar names, the history of the NFL, and the world of sports broadcasting. Via Madden’s unconventional career, kids who are sports fans can discover that there are paths to greatness beyond scoring as an athlete. This play-by-play biography, peppered with quotes and stats, will delight enthusiasts.
For football nerds who wonder about the “Madden” behind their favorite video game. (index, author’s note, photos) (Biography. 10-12)Pub Date: July 30, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-63565-246-8
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2019
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
Unassuming of aspect but judicious and illuminating of content.
Modest production values add appeal to this carefully researched account of “a life of courage, passion, and adventure.”
Young readers already have a plethora of Tubman titles to choose from, including the author’s own 1992 Picture Book of Harriet Tubman for younger readers, illustrated by Samuel Byrd. This one, though, offers an unusually coherent picture of her character as well as her place within both the major events of her times and the work of the Underground Railroad. Laying stress on her religious faith and her selfless nature, Adler covers her career as Union spy and nurse as well as “conductor” in deep-enough detail to make mention of her later involvement in a money swindle and her ambiguous relationship with “niece” (daughter? kidnap victim?) Margaret Stewart. Sheaves of small, period black-and-white portrait photos or engravings, plus occasional atrocity reports or editorials clipped from African-American newspapers give the pages a staid look overall. This is underscored by a typeface that, intentionally or otherwise, sometimes looks battered or too-lightly inked. Tubman’s exploits and struggles make absorbing reading nonetheless.
Unassuming of aspect but judicious and illuminating of content. (endnotes, bibliography, personal note about the author’s family in the Civil War) (Biography. 10-12)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2365-1
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 25, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2013
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