Sports (Eyewitness Books Series) by Tim Hammond, Laura Buller

From the Publisher

Here is an exciting and informative guide to the history and rules of the world's major sports. Superb color photographs of modern and antique sports equipment offer a unique "eyewitness" view of the development of each game, its most exciting features, and the special skills needed by the players. See the inside of a baseball, how tennis rackets have changed in the last 100 years, how soccer balls are made, and how "antifreeze" liquid helps prevent injuries. Learn which athletes wear "warpaint" and why, which judo belt ranks higher than a black belt, the difference between snooker and pool, and what each golf club is used for. Discover what a modern running track is made of, the difference between bowling and boules, which sport was first played inside a prison, what kind of feathers are used to make shuttlecocks, and much, much more!

John D. Orsborn - Children's Literature

In this interesting book in the Dorling Kindersley tradition, author Hammond does an excellent job writing about different sports. Using equipment details and brief historical facts, Hammond opens the door for many readers not only to the typical American sports, but to other, lesser-known, athletic pursuits. The photographs and diagrams included throughout the text help show the reader the sport. In fact, the pictures, etc. seem to dominate the book. For younger readers this can be acceptable but for older readers—even high interest readers—more explanation and detail is called for. One glaring error is that the cover shows four cyclists racing yet the sport of cycling is not covered in the book. The "Amazing Facts," and "Who's Who," sections add to the informational power of the book. While not a first choice for an introductory book to sports, this book would serve for a school or public library collection. 2005, Dorling Kindersley, Ages 10 to 18.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6 Vivid color photographs dominate each large white page, accompanying a text which provides the history and rules of 22 different sports, along with a look at the historical evolution of the equipment used in each. Reproductions depict the early origins of the sports. The British slant of the book is evident in the book's focus: basketball is treated in one page, while cricket is given four. A few informational errors are also evident in the explanation of the rules of the predominantly American sports. For example, it is stated that in football there are no strict rules on numbers that position players must wear, while in actuality, linebacker Brian Bosworth of the Seattle Seahawks brought a suit against the NFL in an attempt to wear a number that is assigned to linemen. Also, in depicting a referee's signal, the call is identified correctly as a missed kick but Hammond fails to mention that the same signal is used more frequently to indicate an incomplete pass. Aside from these and a couple of other minor errors, the book is both informative and eye- pleasing. While there isn't a complete explanation of the rules of each sport, readers can garner a basic understanding. The photographs used to show the technological advances in sporting equipment are a story in themselves and form the basis of the book. Tom S. Hurlburt, Minneapolis Public Lib .

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents