Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends

Description

With all the best elements of Kid Presidents--colorful illustrations, kid-relatable subjects, true tales of overcoming adversity, battling back bullies, etc.--Kid Athletes tells true tales from the childhoods of a wide range of athletes. Did you know... Babe Ruth was so incorrigible he was sent to reform school at the age of seven. Historians now think the Babe may have suffered from attention deficit disorder, which contributed to his wild, hyperactive nature--and may have helped him develop his almost supernatural ability to hit a baseball. Danica Patrick learned to conquer her fears and indulge her need for speed on the go-kart track before stepping up to the big leagues of road-racing, flying in the face of her competition who claimed that "girls can't drive" Muhammad Ali (aka Cassius Clay) got in his first fight after a thief stole his bicycle when he was twelve. When little Cassius vowed to "whup" the kid who'd swiped his wheels, a kindly police officer offered to give him boxing lessons. And a heavyweight legend was born. The lineup subjects is exciting and diverse- female athletes like multi-sport sensation Babe Didrikson Zaharias, jockey Julie Krone, and gymnast Gabby Douglas; African-American legends like Jackie Robinson and Michael Jordan; international stars like Yao Ming and Lionel Messi; and Native American icons like Jim Thorpe. With Doogie Horner's whimsical illustrations bringing every goal, touchdown, and championship to life, this book is a slam dunk for young readers.

The author of Kid Presidents (Quirk, 2014), David Stabler is the kid-friendly alter ego of Robert Schnakenberg, a Senior Copywriter at Random House. Schnakenberg has written several books of pop history including Secret Lives of Great Authors (Quirk, 2007), Secret Lives of the Supreme Court (Quirk, 2008) and Distory- A Treasury of Historical Insults. His work has also appeared in The American Writer, and Real People; and online at Alternet, HoleCity, Mental Floss, and PopPolitics.com. He has been a major contributor to numerous multi-volume reference works, including The St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture; Fashion, Fad, and Style; and Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell Bottoms- Pop Culture of 20th Century America.

"Outstanding. . . . Inspiring and entertaining, Kid Athletes isn't just for sports fans."-Booklist, starred review "Are you a big sports fan? If you are, then you'll love this book. . . . Kid Athletes is a very informative book, but it also teaches you that anyone (no matter who you are) can go through hardships."-Eric and Jasmine, Kidsday reporters, Newsday "Perfect for the adolescent set, these inspiring stories mix fun and non-fiction."-Geeks of Doom Praise for the Kid Legends series: "Just like history class, only hilarious."-Tim Federle, author of Better Nate Than Ever, on Kid Presidents "A heartening reminder that 17 unconventional greats-not to mention all the rest-started out as children too."-Kirkus Reviews, on Kid Artists "With cartoonish illustrations that will attract fans of Jeff Kinney's The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Rachel Renee Russell's The Dork Diaries, this informative offering leaves no presidential childhood rock unturned."-School Library Journal, on Kid Presidents "Impressively diverse."-Booklist, on Kid Artists "Filled with cute illustrations. . . mini-biographies that are interesting, funny, and, most importantly, relevant to kids today."-Geek Dad, on Kid Scientists "I can think of no better way to convey to children that their heroes were once just like them."-Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star, on Kid Scientists "Memorably weird childhood moments. . . are likely to stick with readers, as will Horner's impish cartoons."-Publishers Weekly, on Kid Artists "A funny and inspiring book for children and adults."-New York Journal of Books, on Kid Scientists