School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Lists declaring the "best" of any subject often generate much interest, if only to see whether or not readers' personal favorites have been mentioned. Otherwise, these books, which highlight only 12 male stars from each sport, are inadequate. Each player has been allocated just a spread, consisting of an informational paragraph under a colorful photo of him in action, opposite a chart listing the years played, team membership, and individual achievements such as Most Valuable Player or number of trips to the Super Bowl. Sentences are short with important vocabulary words highlighted in red and defined in the glossary. All charts are current through the 2008-09 seasons. Strictly for dedicated fans of these sports. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Focusing on the rocket arm of a catcher or the steady hands of a wide receiver, this series presents overviews of high-profile sports stars. Each double-page spread provides biographical information, career details, and significant achievements. Vivid action photos serve as striking backgrounds for the stats and awards, which will be of more interest to fans than the brief, adulatory summary paragraphs. Reading list. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Sports Illustrated Kids: The World's Greatest Sports Stars titles: The World's Greatest Baseball Players, The World's Greatest Basketball Players, and The World's Greatest Football Players.] Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.