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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... Bayport Public Library | Q J 920 KRU | Searching... Unknown |
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | J 920 KRU | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Babe Ruth was the greatest slugger ever--and off the field snacked on pickled eels and chocolate ice cream. Johnny Weissmuller swam to Olympic fame--and on land practiced the Tarzan yell. "Krull hits another home run."-- American Bookseller
Author Notes
Kathleen Krull has written much innovative nonfiction for young people, including all of the books in the Lives of . . . series, and has made a chatty, accessible approach to biography her hallmark. She lives in San Diego, California. Visit her website at www.kathleenkrull.com . Kathryn Hewitt's caricatures of famous figures led kids to dub the Lives of . . . series the "Big Head" books. She has illustrated many books for young readers, some of which she also wrote. She lives in Santa Monica, California. Visit her website at www.kathrynhewitt.com .
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-10This talented author and illustrator team once again use their tried-and-true formula, this time to produce a book about some of the world's greatest former athletes. While readers will find out about the subjects' most prodigious physical feats, it's what else they'll learn about them that propels this title above most other books published in this subject area. Where else can one be entertained with tidbits such as Babe Ruth's penchant for public demonstrations of his loud digestive noises, or the fact that Red Grange liked to make friends with baby alligators after retiring in Florida? Home runs, touchdowns, and world records take a back seat to information about what these athletes liked to wear, eat, and drink, and the superstitions they held. The 20 sports stars featured in four-to-six page spreads excelled in a wide variety of endeavors including golf, swimming, volleyball, surfing, and the martial arts. Six women are included in this ethnically diverse group. A substantial bibliography featuring 38 titles for further reading is provided for those who will want to find out more about one or a number of these athletes. As in Lives of the Artists (1995), Lives of the Writers (1994), and Lives of the Musicians (1993, all Harcourt), Hewitt's watercolor and colored pencil caricatures and other drawings add immensely to the fun.Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
I1="BLANK" I2="BLANKFleischman's innovative short novel is the story of an urban garden started by a child and nurtured by people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Each of the thirteen chapters is narrated by a different character, allowing the reader to watch as a community develops out of disconnected lives and previous suspicions. Although the total effect of the brief chapters is slightly superficial, some of the individual narratives are moving. The opening chapter about nine-year-old Kim, a Vietnamese immigrant, is a vivid portrait of a child who longs for the approval of her deceased father. The novel is didactic in purpose-folks of all ages, economic backgrounds, and ethnicities put aside their differences to create a beautiful, rich harvest-but effective in execution. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4^-7. The newest addition to Krull and Hewitt's series of offbeat collective biographies, this lively book discusses the public feats and private lives of 20 athletes. Each section begins with a colorful, full-page portrait of the person with significant objects or surroundings: clad in a one-shoulder leopard skin and an Olympic gold medal, Johnny Weissmuller swings on a tree branch over a swimming pool with the Hollywood hills in the distance. His character, career, and athletic feats are covered in a few pages of data, descriptions, and anecdotes. Other athletes profiled include Jim Thorpe, Babe Ruth, Red Grange, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Sonja Henie, Jessie Owens, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Wilma Rudolph, Arthur Ashe, and Bruce Lee. Hewitt's watercolor-and-colored-pencil artwork combines fact and fancy to create a series of entertaining and meaningful illustrations. Another winner in a consistently fine series. --Carolyn Phelan
