Kid Coach

Gr 1-3–This book covers a lot of thematic territory. Within the first three pages, the character of Kid Coach forces his lazy dad to stop watching wrestling videos on the couch, start a weight training regimen, and reform his diet in order to be in tip-top shape for a real wrestling ring. From there, Dad effortlessly triumphs in the ring against a parade of wrestlers approximately 43 times his size. However, Dad must be taught another lesson after his prideful gloating and poor sportsmanship hurt the other men’s feelings. Justus’s illustrations are bright and colorful. His crew of wrestlers is composed of a man in a leopard costume, a blond man in a pink fur coat, a luchador who takes up more than an entire page, and even more big personalities who wouldn’t be out of place in the WWE. Text is simple and printed in bold, easy-to-read type. Word size varies for emphasis. For instance, “little” is printed in a small font and “big” in a larger one. The message about what makes a true champion is a little didactic, but it’s heartwarming to see Kid Coach, Dad, and the burly wrestlers come together in the end.