Customer Review: Kid Athletes: True Stories Of Childhood From Sports Legends

  Kid Athletes

David Stabler and Doogie Horner

$13.95

Quirk Books

Available November 2015

Have you ever wondered how kids become award wining athletes? The book Kid Athletes: True Stories of Childhood from Sport’s Legends by David Stabler and Doogie Horner has the answer. This book is filled with exciting tales about stars of hockey, basketball, baseball, tennis, golf, horse racing, gymnastics, and soccer. Your favorite athletes are in this book.

My favorites  were Gabby Douglas, Yao Ming and Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi impressed me the most. He started walking at nine months . From the first second he was persistent . I was amazed that even when he broke his arm he didn’t scream or cry in pain. Her learned how to deal with pain.

Every sports legend was fearless but did not start that way. It was funny to read about the tough NFL quarterback Peyton Manning doing the tango. You will learn how these kids worked hard to accomplish their dreams. I really liked the book and enjoyed the funny illustrations.

~Rosella, Age 9

Morse Pond Review: Double Reverse

Double Reverse

Fred Bowen

Peachtree Publishers

$3.99

Available now

Touchdown! This book is great! It is about a kid named Jesse Wagner and his brother Jay Wagner. Jay has to play safety. Jesse’ s team quarterback is terrible and hurt, and the backup is even worse. So, Jesse and Jay make a deal; if Jesse plays quarterback, then Jay will play safety because Jesse knows all the plays and Jay looks like a safety. Will they both play good or bad? I really enjoyed this book!

Andrew, 11 years old

Morse Pond Review: Double Reverse

Double Reverse

Fred Bowen

Peachtree Publishers

$5.95

Available now

I love sports! That’s my #1 thing to do. I used to hate to read until I read this book. Now reading is my #2 thing to do. After dinner I read this book. I especially liked when you drew out the plays. I ran some of the playes in the front yard with my grandpa. I finished reading your book 1 week after I got it. THANKS FOR MAKING ME LOVE TO READ!!!

~ Michael, age 11

Morse Pond Review: Boys of Blur

Boys of Blur

N. D. Wilson

Random House for Young Readers

$16.99

Available now

Boys of Blur is an amazingly fast pace book. I loved this book because it had to do with sports and a kid whose dad was in prison. He was having a tough time adjusting to his new life without his dad and learning to live with his stepfather. The boy’s name is Charlie Reynolds. If you like fast-paced books with a lot of exciting moments you’re bound to love this book. By the author of 100 Cupboards.

~ Cameron, age 10

Staff Review: The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher

The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher

Dana Alison Levy

Random House

$15.99

Available July 22, 2014

It has to be said: think Penderwicks, with four brothers instead of sisters. But these brothers have two dads, so they’re all adopted. More importantly, each brother is a distinct character, and they’re all fiercely loyal to one another when they’re not biffing each another verbally in typically playful male competition. Sam, the 12-year-old, is anxious to be a good role model even as he risks peer ridicule for participating in the school musical. Jax is the athletic 10-year-old, always competing with Sam even as he seeks his older brother’s approval. Eli is also 10, deeply studious, but worried that his insistence on attending an expensive, demanding private school may be the wrong choice after all. Frog is six, funny, and eager to keep up with all the others. The two dads are less distinguishable, but highly functional as parents, laying out and maintaining “Fletcher Family Rules” of honor, fair play, and safety. The story follows the time honored setting of a school year, and the characters are strong enough that their daily adventures and concerns fit together as tightly and unexpectedly as a Chinese puzzle, albeit one held together with mud and sweaty socks. Within all this, the fact of same sex parents and racially varied children is simply part of the fabric, as natural – and special – as waffles and strawberries for breakfast. Among the many, many middle grade books that come out each year, it’s still a thrill to find one so well done that we know at once we can recommend it wholeheartedly for at least a generation to come.

~ Carol