Editorial Review

The History of Sports series offers short, readable introductions to athletic pursuits that children enjoy watching or playing. Aimed at kids who are learning to read, including those beyond the primary grades, the books are organized into three chapters that feature very legible type, colorful page design, and many large action photos of individual athletes and professional teams. The text highlights the fundamentals of the sport, its history, and aspects of its play today. Each volume features a few outstanding athletes and, when relevant, examines the sport’s clothing or uniforms and equipment. Additional discussion includes major competitions, such as the Olympics, and famous trophies, such as professional hockey’s Stanley Cup, first awarded in 1893. Baseball opens with basics such as the players’ positions on the field, their roles, the teams’ main goals, and how runs are scored. Gymnastics points out the sport’s origins in ancient Greece, then looks at events in gymnastics competitions for men and women today. Hockey hits the ice with such legends as Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Angela James, and Hilary Knight. While people have propelled themselves through open water “for thousands of years,” Swimming focuses on indoor races, which began in England in the 1830s. An attractive series for primary-grade kids as well as somewhat older readers who appreciate short words, helpful illustrations, and sports.