Hockey Is a Numbers Game
(Sports Illustrated Kids)

Gr 4-6--A refreshing fusion of math and sports. These engaging volumes include lots of references to current stars and iconic athletes, blending readable sports writing with a little bit of how the sausage gets made--the math behind those statistics viewers see before, during, and after every game--in a way that is exceedingly palatable. The basics of each activity (offense, defense, etc.) take a backseat to the stories of big plays, blockbuster players, and how numbers determine who is the best of the best. Baseball has the most equations, some of which are more easily calculated than others, but all of the books do a fine job showing the equations or at least describing why the statistic is worth knowing. VERDICT The crowd goes wild--they're a hit! A top choice for middle grade readers.