On Deck Reading Libraries: Leveled Reader the Story of Soccer

Simple text and illustrations introduce the history of soccer to young readers.

Grades 2-5--A brief history of the sport for beginning readers. The author notes the origins of the sport and facts about the World Cup and Olympic competitions. The captioned illustrations consist of colorful photographs of both men and women playing the game as well as black-and-white artistic renderings of related scenes of the 1800s. A few facts, boxed in orange rectangles, are included. Consider this book for collections in which there is a need for easy-readers or high-interest/low-vocabulary titles on this sport.
Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Reviewed with Anastasia Suen's The Story of Baseball.

Ages 6-8. Even sketchier than equivalent True Books, these titles in the Sports History series are designed to provide a "manageable reading experience," while filling in the historical backgrounds of popular sports with a combination of large pictures (photographs, whenever possible), boxed side notes, and simply phrased texts printed in easily digested bites. Though word count is prominently displayed (it's even given a heading in the table of contents), the vocabulary does include an occasional challenge. The level of detail in Baseball doesn't extend to a mention of the Negro Leagues, or, for that matter, even Barry Bonds' 2001 home run record, but here and throughout the series, female players are acknowledged. Each sturdily bound volume ends with a Web site and a two-item booklist. The popular topics and inviting look of this series may tempt reluctant or below-grade-level readers to give it a try. Other titles are listed in the Series Roundup in this issue. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved