Grade 4–9 – Forty years as a sportscaster gives Berman plenty of experience to choose the 25 greatest sports moments. His writing is lively, humorous, and informative – just right to sustain kids (or adults) interest. Quality photos throughout are another plus.
Each of the entries for the individuals chosen includes a brief biographical profile with birth date, birthplace, height, weight, and a fact about their accomplishments. Other boxes feature interesting trivia such as the price of a baseball ticket in the 1930s being a little more than a dollar. Another describes the amazing typical breakfast for swimmer Michael Phelps. An audio CD that includes many of the moments as they were broadcast live is part of the package.
A “Listen to the Moment” icon appears in the text to cue readers. Another positive is that definitions of various terms (e.g., horse racing’s Triple Crown) are in the text instead of in a separate glossary. Of course, there are a few minor details that aren’t so great, too. Only two women: Nadia Comaneci (her perfect 10 performance in the 1976 Olympics) and Billy Jean King (her highly publicized match against Bobby Riggs in 1973) and one women’s team (1999 U.S. Women’s World Cup Soccer) are highlighted. Arthur Ashe’s profile (his 1975 Wimbledon Championship) omits the cause of his early death and his fight against AIDS discrimination.
Nonetheless, this is an excellent choice for anyone who is into sports.
Related Books:
- ESPN: The Mighty Book of Sports Knowledge – Steve Wulf
- The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy : Bill Simmons
