Sports Legends Book Review

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to stand on an Olympic podium having just won a gold medal? Or what it takes to become a record-breaking soccer player? Find out all about sports stars and their inspiring achievements in this nonfiction book for kids.

About Sports Legends

Perfect for young sports lovers, this chapter book for kids tells the stories of a range of different sports people who have risen to the top of their game. From Usain Bolt, to Steffi Graf, and Muhammad Ali, to Ellie Simmonds, in Sporting Greats readers will learn about the unique stories of these athletic heroes.

Sporting Legends is a new Level three title in the four-level DK Readers series, aimed at children who are beginning to read alone. Developing a lifelong love of reading, DK Readers cover a range of subjects to support children as they learn.

Packed with fun facts, this series of guided reading books balance amazing photography with non-fiction narratives tailored to specific reading levels. DK Readers are assessed on both Fountas & Pinnell and Lexile levels, and are ideal for learning to read while building general knowledge.

Sporting Legends covers a topic that will inspire and educate kids, encouraging reading for pleasure, which is linked with improved reading and writing abilities, as well as a wider vocabulary and greater self-confidence.

Our Thoughts

We are HUGE sports fans in our home – you can always find us watching sports (soccer is very much the number one match to be on) or playing sports. It is how we bond, how we have fun and how we keep physically fit together.

It can sometimes be hard to find a book topic that your child loves, especially if you have a reluctant reader. Our eldest was this way when he was younger, we had to really search for books that would engage him and were on a topic he would like.

Sports Legends covers some of the greatest athletes of all time from all types of athlethic backgrounds – from track to the court to the field and to all seasons. Many names you will know but some you may be newly introduced to.

My youngest loves Pele – we watched a documentary on him a few years ago and since then he has looked up to him with all that he had accomplished at such a young age. It was fantastic to learn that he played for his country at the age of 16! Which is a goal that he himself is working towards. We learn about more incredible athletes and the sucess they had including: Jackie Robinson (first African American player in the MLS), Wasim Akram (Pakistan cricketer), Richie McCaw (New Zealand rugby player), Ma Long (Chinese table tennis player) and so many more.

The book contains photos of the athletes in motion along with short bios and descriptions of their biggest achievements. The book itself has a great flow – starting with field sports, sports on court, track and field and then other sports. In between chapters, are sections on young stars, record breakers and winter sports athletes. There is even a quiz at the very end of the book! It is written in a way that your child (or yourself) can easily read aloud or an older child can read on their on.

This is a great learner book for young children, especially those who have a hard time finding books that they can engage in. My son’s only complaint? He wanted the section on Messi to be longer!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Chapters.

About the Author

Caryn Jenner writes and edits a variety of books for children of all ages, including both fiction and nonfiction. For DK Publishing, she has written Eyewitness Workbook: Earth, as well as several titles in the DK Readers series. Her picture book, Starting School, was one of the eight books longlisted for the UK’s 2012 School Library Association Information Book Award in the Under 7 age group. Caryn also teaches English to speakers of other languages and volunteers at a local school. She grew up in the United States but has made her home in the UK for many years.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review, all opinions are my own.