Hockey:: Great Moments, Records, and Facts

K-Gr 2--These short books offer lively images of sports action and readable factoids aimed at beginning readers. Each one presents an overview of the sport through 20 pages of simplified text. The facts are noteworthy, if overly simplified ("A gym teacher came up with basketball in 1891. It was raining. He wanted to keep his students busy."). Baseball's history is likewise summed up in three sentences, though the book goes on to mention great players, including Joe DiMaggio and Cal Ripken Jr. Both current and former players earn mentions: Gabby Douglas in gymnastics and soccer's Lionel Messi. Despite the enduring topics, these books fail to distinguish themselves and will likely be dated in just a few years. VERDICT Marginal choices for novice readers.

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