April 1, 2013
Gr 3-5-Each book begins with a brief history of its featured competition or sport before launching into a random selection of feats. For example, Olympic highlights the "Oldest Olympic Swimming Medalists" (Dara Torres and William Robinson) as well as "Most Summer Olympic Medals" (Michael Phelps). Numerous competitors are given sufficient attention; report writers will appreciate this set over Raintree's all-too-brief "Fantastic Sports Facts." Large, attractive, captioned, color and black-and-white photographs and reproductions are surrounded by sidebars of trivia on each spread. Even though the nature of the set's content will quickly date it (records are broken all the time), this series could be used to prompt conversation and/or further research. Select individual titles for sports that need representation in a collection.
Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 1, 2013
Grades 3-5 The books in the Amazing Sports Records series should quench the thirstiest of sports-stats-obsessed kidsand there are plenty of them out there. Each title briefly introduces the history of the sport in question before launching into facts and figures. Even the book design looks sporty, with each stat, photo, and paragraph of text appearing in a framed box and accented by background colors that are appropriately team-colored. Amazing Auto Racing Records opens with the first-ever organized long-distance automobile race in France in 1895. Then there are stats as far as the eye can see: Most Daytona 500 Victories, Most Indycar Wins, and the first female to race at the Indy 500 (Danica Patrick). Titles end with a glossary and further reading suggestions. It won't be long before readers are spouting facts and testing others on their sports knowledge. (Quick: Most World Series Victories?)(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)