Whether you like sports or not, this is a great book for everyone. Author David Stabler gives us an inside look at 16 true childhood stories from a diverse range of athletes such as car racers, basketball players, jockeys and even sumo wrestlers. These now famous athletes had normal kid problems like anyone else, as well as some tough issues to face, including discrimination, bullying and physical challenges. We see that through perseverance and sometimes through the help from an important family member, all of these kid athletes conquered their barriers to get where they are today.
Some featured athletes include baseball record breaker Babe Ruth (or Little George, as he was called). He got into so much trouble when he was little that he was one of the youngest boys to end up in his reform school. We also have Danica Patrick, who was known as ‘the girl without fear.’ Go-karting practice around her hometown prepared her for stock car racing in NASCAR as she also had to battle bullies. Not many girls were into racing when she was a child, so she constantly had to prove herself as a worthy competitor against the boys.
World famous Chinese basketball star Yao Ming is also featured. He spent a lot of time in Shanghai, which is fun to share with your kids. This city we are living in significantly contributed to who he is now. Kids will also learn all about just how incredibly tall he was as a child and it’s fun to read about the funny situations he faced as a result of his height.
This book is filled with wonderful kid-friendly stories that serve as inspirations for children and it’s easy to relate these childhood struggles to any situation. Cartoon illustrations remind me of Rachel Renee Russel’s The Dork Diaries series. If your child enjoyed that, they will appreciate the humor and detail found in the illustrations in this book. It’s is also part of a series, so also check out Kid Presidents (a look at American presidents’ childhoods) and Kid Artists (a book about artists’ childhood from all over the world). Although this is an ideal read for ages 8 to 12, it can also make for a good book to read to younger children over a longer period of time. Happy Reading!
Kendra Perkins is Coordinator for the Shanghai Librarians Network, and Ambassador of China for the International Librarians Network. Find her at TheInspiredLibrarian.com.
