Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt flies down the track to win the 100-meter dash in under 10 seconds. Split seconds mark the difference between first and second place. The action is fast and furious in other sports as well. Knowing what to watch for is essential to spectators and athletes alike, and the best of these sets let readers know what to pay attention to when they participate. Understanding a sport’s history and record-breaking accomplishments also helps put current champions’ records into perspective. Even when it comes to relatively new sports, students will benefit from knowing how these pursuits developed.

Elementary

Adamson, Thomas K. Big Air Skateboarding. ISBN 9781626172722; ISBN 9781681030845.

––––. BMX Freestyle. ISBN 9781626172739; ISBN 9781681030852.

––––. BMX Racing. ISBN 9781626172746; ISBN 9781681030869.

––––. Motocross Freestyle. ISBN 9781626172753; ISBN 9781681030876.

––––. Motocross Racing. ISBN 9781626172760; ISBN 9781681030883.

––––. Skateboarding Street Style. ISBN 9781626172777; ISBN 9781681030890.

ea vol: 24p. (Extreme Sports). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Bellwether. 2015. lib. ed. $22.95. ebk. $17.95.

Gr 3-7 –This set focuses on extreme sports, covering history, gear, events, and famous athletes. Each book begins with an account of a gold-winning performance. Graphics and color photos help convey each sport’s difficulty and appeal. BMX Racing notes that Olympic races usually finish in 40 seconds or less. Motocross Racing mentions Ricky Carmichael, who completed perfect racing seasons in 2002 and 2004. In Skateboarding Street Style, text and photos capture Nyjah Huston’s impressive gold medal–winning performance at the 2014 X Games, but the safety-minded caption advises readers to “protect your head!” and explains that though “professionals often wear hats during street style events, helmets are strongly recommended.” VERDICT This effective series capably sums up the appeal of these popular sports.

Gr 4-6 –Fascinating details and amazing photos add context and perspective to each sport’s overview. Unusual sports such as heliskiing and skydiving are clearly explained, and the text is supplemented by well-chosen graphics. A sequence of three photos in Skateboarding details the steps in an ollie, a basic skateboarding move. An image in Big Wave Surfing offers an underwater view of a duck dive, as a surfer pushes her board safely under the lip of a wave. Each volume offers questions to answer while reading, a set of vocabulary words to look for, and a series of questions to respond to after reading the book. Motocross mentions female stars such as Sue Fish and Tarah Geiger, as well as James “Bubba” Stewart, the first African American to win a major motocross championship. VERDICT These well-written books earn high marks.

Gr 3-5 –Through simplified writing and exciting color photos, these titles offer an overview of several high-adrenalin pursuits. Parkour limns the sport’s development, highlighting the efforts of French founder David Belle and freerunner Sebastien Foucan. In a concisely labeled photo, Motocross explains the colorful flags used in races. Paintball notes that being hit by a paintball may feel like when “a rubber band is snapped against your skin.” A section on staying safe concludes each book; both Longboard Skateboarding and Roller Derby note that it is important to learn to fall safely before moving on to higher speeds and tricks. However, there isn’t much to distinguish the set from similar sports series. VERDICT Though these books are not particularly memorable, browsers and fans of these popular sports may be interested in them.

Gr 3-6 –This set offers facts loosely arranged around “latest and aged greats” (current and former players) and terrific teams. Included also are “Wonderments” (lists of nicknames) and greatest records. Each book begins with a list of recent MVPs and then goes on to discuss other athletes. Baseball highlights stars such as Buster Posey, David Ortiz, and Derek Jeter, along with players known for their fielding, pitching, and pinch-hitting. VERDICT Fans will relish this set, though “Side-by-Side Sports” (Capstone, 2014) covers similar territory with better organization and more context.

Gr 2-4 –Bold colors and exciting scenes will attract beginning readers to these introductions to Olympic sports, including trampoline, the newest gymnastic event. Track and Field covers running, jumping, and throwing, as well as all-around events, such as the men’s decathlon and women’s heptathlon. There is a good deal of oversimplification, but short sentences and interesting factoids will hold readers’ attention. Men’s and women’s events are discussed; the cover of Combat Sports captures a fierce contest between women wrestlers. Swimming and Diving notes that many regard swimmer Michael Phelps and Chinese diver Guo Jingjing as tops in their sports. VERDICT With the approach of the 2016 Olympics, these strong books will be welcome additions.

Gr 2-4 –Each of these rigidly formatted titles covers high and low points of a different NFL team’s history. Through simple sentences, the authors introduce each team and describe rivals, stadiums, fans, mascots, and former and current stars. Many phrases are repeated across the titles. Facts are oversimplified to a sometimes frustrating extent. For example, in Dallas Cowboys, the author states that the team has won five Super Bowls and that “only one team has won more through 2014.” However, readers won’t learn which team has six Super Bowl titles unless they pick up Pittsburgh Steelers. Photos accompany each page of text; each book also includes a page of stats. VERDICT Fans will enjoy browsing, but these are marginal additions.

Gr 4-6 –Readers drawn to these books because of the intriguing topics may be frustrated by the shallow treatments. With double-page photos and about a paragraph of text per page, Aqua Sports briefly introduces subjects such as water-powered jetpacks, human-powered water rollers, and dragon boat racing. Photos in Swimming in the Wild depict swimmers and divers enjoying close encounters with dolphins, whales, rays, and even sharks, though the text notes that it may be safer to enjoy these animals from a distance. Diving addresses the sport’s dangers; it covers cliff diving and platform diving into shallow pools and mentions Olympic champion Greg Louganis’s injury at the 1988 Summer Olympics. VERDICT Browsers may enjoy these offerings, but those seeking detailed coverage should look elsewhere.

PreS-Gr 1 –These brief overviews for emergent readers can be paired with previously published stories in Norwood’s “Dear Dragon” series. (For instance, Let’s Play Football can be read alongside Touchdown, Dear Dragon.) Like the “Dear Dragon” stories, the nonfiction titles employ common sight words. Color photos add details and are well matched to the text. Most of the books depict both male and female players in the photographs. Each offering begins with a note for caregivers, and helpful appendixes include suggested reading activities and a list of the words used. VERDICT This is an acceptable series, designed with the needs of young readers in mind, though the “I Love Sports” (Jump!) series is a better choice for this audience.

Gr 4-6 –These slim volumes are packed with information and incorporate graphics, color photos, and bold fonts to explain the rules, history, major teams and players, and skills of the sport. Ruling the Court focuses on championship play, including March Madness and the Paralympic Games. Women and girls share the limelight; a girls’ basketball team huddled round their coach graces the cover of Full Court Press. Interspersed with photos are numerous info boxes. Some pages appear cluttered, but the busy layout can also be effective. The authors describe passing, shooting, and rebounding, as well as defensive skills, warming up, and good sportsmanship. VERDICT Though the organization and focus is loose and unfocused, fans will find plenty of interesting nuggets of information in these accessible books.

Middle to High School

Gr 5-8 –These upbeat and engaging biographies offer a mix of anecdotes and facts, along with sidebars and color photos. Fans will enjoy learning that LeBron James maintained a B average in high school and that his favorite subject was earth science. These athletes are in their 20s and 30s, and the books neatly balance stories of the players’ early lives with their considerable personal accomplishments. For instance, readers learn that soccer star Lionel Messi overcame a childhood growth hormone deficiency and that David Ortiz felt that growing up in the Dominican Republic, where he often played baseball with makeshift equipment such as bottle caps and broomsticks, helped him become a better hitter. A time line and a section on other “living legends” add context. VERDICT This well-executed set is sure to please fans and newcomers alike.

Gr 4-7 –These effective introductions offer information on tracking and hunting, and all but Bowhunting include fascinating facts about the animals and their habitats. Charts, graphs, and maps illustrate the size and range of bear, deer, and pheasant populations in North America. A color map traces the four main routes, or flyways, that ducks use in their North American migration. The factual presentation is enlivened with fictionalized descriptions of young hunters, including women and young girls, in pursuit of their prey. Many hunters today choose traditional weapons, such as a bow and arrow, over high-tech alternatives. Each book emphasizes safe and responsible hunting. Through straightforward instructions, the author points out the best ways to kill, rather than maim, the quarry, and readers are encouraged to field dress the animal so as not to waste any meat. VERDICT These well-written overviews will be welcome in communities where hunting is popular.

Gr 5-8 –These overviews offer action shots and interesting facts, including a look at each sport’s history. Readers will discover that surfing is tied to ancient Polynesian and Hawaiian cultures and that kiteboarding’s origins date to kites in ancient China. Skydiving introduces innovator Georgia “Tiny” Broadwick, whose daring feats in the 1920s helped convince the U.S. military to use parachutes. A sidebar in Extreme Biking notes the contributions of a unit of African American Buffalo Soldiers, who in the 1890s demonstrated possible uses of military bicycles through long-distance treks, including one totaling 1,900 miles. Motorsports notes that modified race karts open this sport to wheelchair-bound participants. Straightforward prose is employed in most of the offerings, though wordy technical explanations in Kiteboarding and dense prose in Parkour make these two titles marginal purchases. VERDICT With the exceptions of Kiteboarding and Parkour, solid options.

Gr 4-7 –Each book in this series details a key move or technique in order to highlight the scientific forces at work. For example, Cutback describes how in order to ride a wave, a surfer must master the opposing forces of gravity and buoyancy. Each book also outlines the history of its sport, including great athletes and their accomplishments. Key terms are highlighted and defined, and “Go Deeper!” boxes proffer thought-provoking ideas and questions. Visuals, too, are strong. Flip Turn presents a step-by-step diagram and a color photo to demonstrate how this move used in swim races has similarities with its counterparts in gymnastics and dance. VERDICT A winning combination of sports and science.

Gr 4-7 –Teens and tweens interested in cheerleading will find plenty of helpful suggestions in these upbeat, well-written books. Although Show Your Spirit notes that cheerleaders “have the special task of putting on an athletic show while looking great,” the series emphasizes the importance of health and fitness. Along with a section on uniforms and pom-poms, this title offers a sample game day menu for a student athlete. Jump, Tuck, Flip covers basic formations, positions, and moves with concise step-by-step instructions and color photos; it also includes warm-up stretches and recipes for a healthy smoothie and trail mix. Make Some Noise offers suggested cheers and ideas for coming up with new ones. Quest for the Best covers tryouts and competitions, with helpful packing lists, a detailed schedule of a typical competition day, and daily exercises and stretches. VERDICT Solid additions for those interested in the sport.

Gr 5-8 –Focusing on different soccer teams, these books all open with the same overview of the sport, followed by an outline of historic events, such as the Spanish Civil War and World War II, that have shaped the team’s history. FC Barcelona and Real Madrid’s intense rivalry has its origins in 1714, when those loyal to King Philip V conquered Barcelona. The dense prose is balanced by well-labeled photos, time lines, and short biographies of outstanding players. VERDICT North American soccer fans will welcome these serviceable additions.

Sports books help deepen understanding of their subjects through facts and stats, as well as through the interplay of words and text. Rourke’s “Intense Sports” offers succinct overviews of fascinating topics such as big-wave surfing, supplemented with well-matched photos, graphics, and sidebars. This series, along with Bellwether’s “Extreme Sports,” delivers balanced overviews for fans of daredevil sports. ABDO’s “SportsZone” provides anecdotes and lively presentation of facts, supplemented by maps, graphs, and photos. Capstone’s “Cheer Spirit” emphasizes fitness, preparation, and positive attitude. Cherry Lake’s “Full Speed Sports” will appeal to browsers and report writers alike, with its innovative approach of blending science and sports. Amicus’s “Summer Olympics Sports” is a well-crafted, simple introduction for younger readers that will be especially appealing with the 2016 Olympics looming. Britannica’s “Living Legends” features upbeat biographies of popular sports stars.

Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA