Book Description

In "Catch & Connect," Kansas City Chiefs’ five-time Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez shows us that the road to athletic greatness and personal fulfillment is not always a smooth one.

From conquering a fear of bullying to building deep relationships with his extended family and civic communities, Tony demonstrates the power of recognizing and acting on what’s really important in life. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The ultimate horse training book
These techniques are AMAZING! They go against most conventional methods, but what a way to empower not only the rider/handler/owner but also the horse. You don't need to read the book cover to cover in order to start the work. Some of it seems a bit odd at first, but they truly work. I tried some Ttouches a few years ago, on a whim, and THEY WORKED! Since then I have tried more and more. I even attended a seminar with Linda Tellington-Jones. "Let's Ride" is the best of all her horse books. It covers just about everything. It is written for kids, but it is just as valuable to handlers of all ages. This method of training and this book in particular is a must have for anyone dealing directly with horses...from the saddle or from the ground. Just have someone do the seemingly odd touches on one of your legs, and feel the difference.

EXCELLENT for children!!!
I bought the book as an instructor, and I feel this book is EXCELLENT! Easy enough for younger riders to read, yet the information is rich enough for even ADULTS to enjoy and learn from! Lots of color photographs.

A must for any instructor and every young rider!!! ... Read more

Book Description

Legendary soccer coach Anson Dorrance has coached 17 of the last 21 NCAA women's championship soccer teams.Enough said."The Vision of a Champion" is just that, as Dorrance distills his vision in this mandatory guide for young athletes and coaches who want to inspire and train them. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A good read!
Don't know anything about Anson Dorrance personally, but I love his books. There is so much great information. He really conveys his philosophy of how to become a great soccer player, and how a player should conduct themselves in high school and college. I enjoyed this book from a coach/parent standpoint, but I really think high-school age players could benefit from this as well.

One of the best soccer books ever.
Recently, I was sidelined in hospital, and my team bought me the book. I read it cover to cover twice, taking notes the second time.

Anson Dorrance has proven to be the guru for Womens soccer coaching in the United States. Some of the people he has shaped is a "Who's who" of soccer: Tony DiCiccio, Lauren Gregg, Kristine Lilly, Lorrie Fair, Cindy Parlow.... and some girl named Mia.

The book is written for players, but it is a MUST for any coach of girls, soccer or otherwise. In addition to talking about strengths and weaknesses in the current Womens game, he talks about the psychology of the team and player. He gives a no - holds barred insight into Tar Heel soccer, down to preseason drills, peaking cycles, intensity training and offseason training. It is all written in plain english that anyone can understand.

The entire UNC program is in here for all to examine. His thoughts on everything from his approach to injuries and resting players to recruiting players and demands for (scarce) scholarship money. He gives a good insight on the subject of soccer and scholarships that I wasn't aware of.

I highly recommend this book. It would be a bargain at twice the price. If you plan on playing Division I soccer, this book gives a good expectation of what the #1 program in the country looks for.

The Soccer Bible for Females and Those Who Love Them
After reading this book, it's no wonder that many of the women trained by Anson Dorrance are wonderful role models as well as amazing soccer artists. The game of soccer is not just about good technique, but also how the female soccer player develops into a responsible person, challenging herself physically, mentally, socially and emotionally. Dorrance and Averbuch have combined here to write the definitive work on growing a soccer player. This book is for the players, their parents and their coaches. If there is anyone who believes that coaching girls is no different than boys-this will prove otherwise. Bravo to the authors!

An ABSOLUTE must-read!
I can't say enough good things about this book. It is beautifully written and a complete inspiration. I feel fortunate to have the guidance presented in this book. It is fantastic.

A must buy!
I am a professional youth soccer coach, with my own company. I also played semi-professional soccer in my native England. I read this book--twice--and was so impressed, I bought 50 copies for my players. I have loved the flair of this game all of my life. My emphasis as a coach is bringing that love of the game, with all of its skill, to American youth soccer. This book communicates the essence of the game, and more, it's a great guide for soccer and life! ... Read more

Book Description

American Girl's behind-the-scenes look at sports includes advice on being a great teammate, a good winner, and a gracious loser; dealing with parents and coaches; playing with boys; and deciding whether to quit the team.Also includes advice from famous women athletes and a list of addresses for sports associations so girls can get even more information about the sports they love. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Book for Young Females
The American Girl GOOD SPORTS book is a wonderful, comprehensive book for young female atheletes. I found it to be funny, insightful, informative and very applicable to today's American girl. As a mom of a young girl I particularly like the way it highlights confidence building, mind power, and goal setting. It cleverly intermingles the basics, such as nutrition and what to wear, with the more complex topics, such as team building skills and handling failure. GOOD SPORTS covers a wide array of sports and includes interviews with a variety of prominent female athletes. I highly recommend this book to those of you that have a young girl or girls in your life.

This book tells girls what good sportsmanship is all about.
"Good Sports" is a book which helps girls to be the "best athlete you can be." It catagorizes players, parents, and other important people into real-life situations. It has quizes, quotes from other athletes, and memory pages. Also, it offers a lot of web sites and other addresses for girls to look up their favorite sports. More importantly, this book shows girls what teamwork and good sportsmanship is all about. One of my favorite parts in the book says: "Sometimes heart is the strongest muscle." This book also tells girls how to take good care of yourself- to eat healthy so that you are a better athlete. It includes the food pyramid and what one serving is. "Good Sports" involves "Power Drills" and advice from other girls. It goes inside the lives of other athletes, such as Michelle Kwan, but also shows girls'lives who are teens or pre-teens. This book not only focuses on the physical parts of playing a game, but on the mental part as well: keeping your dreams alive even when you're at the bottom of the team, or you were embarrassed at a basketball game when you tripped. I would reccommend "Good Sports" to any female athelete, whether you are experienced or haven't even started yet. It teaches you the basics and also the mental parts of a game! It has advice on keeping your mind and body strong, along with being a good winner and loser. It has advice from other athletes, famous or otherwise, memory pages to record your victories, dreams and goals, and ways to reach sports associations. As the book says, it includes "Winning. Losing. And everything in between." ... Read more

Book Description

Does a curve ball really curve? Why does a golf ball have dimples? Answers to these and hundreds of other questions in this entertaining, well-illustrated account of scientific principles underlying major sports activities. Includes chapter on athlete’s body and its performance related to physical principles.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

Sports science
I found this book very interesting.It shows the sciences behind mine (and many other kids) favorite sports. I recomend u buy it. ... Read more

Book Description

Meet 12-year-old Emily Hughes. Emily comes from a family of skaters and has been skating since she was three years old. Like her older sister Sarah, Emily has the courage, heart, and determination to follow her dream wherever it takes her. Told in Emily's own words and illustrated with breathtaking photographs by Jane Feldman, I Am a Skater takes young readers behind the scenes and right on the ice with Emily. There, they'll get a whirlwind tour of the skating world--from the hours of practicing to the excitementof Emily's first international competition to the joy of performing at New York City's Madison Square Garden. They'll even get to go backstage with Emily's favorite skating stars! I Am a Skater invites readers to lace up their skates and share Emily's thrills--and sometimes her spills--as she steps into the dizzying and dazzling world of ice skating! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

THIS BOOK WAS A GOOD BOOK FOR ME TO READ/EMILY HUGHES (THE Y
THIS BOOK WAS A GOOD BOOK FOR ME TO READ/EMILY HUGHES (THE YOUNGER SISTER OF SARAH HUGHES, 2002 WINTER OLYMPICS IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH USA, LADIES SINGLES FIGURE SKATING GOLD MEDALIST), TO START HER CAREER WITH

I know I read last year, but its really good. You learn a lot from Emily, her stand point. This for kids, but parents you read this before you let your kids read it. Thank you.

Also recommended: Her sister Sarah Hughes, I Skate, by Margot Falkner (I forgot if thats her name, its out of print now), A Young Skater, by Jill Kientez (I think thats the title, I think spelt the author last name right, its also of print now)

A Sweet and Lovely Risng Star!
I have met Emily Hughes a few times. She is a lovely young lady who is one of America's brightest rising figure skating stars! This is a beautiful book chock full of great pictures. It is a must have for any little girl who has a dream...they can come true! ... Read more

Book Description

See a program from the 1930 World Series, relive the moment when the Miracle Mets took to the field in victory, and count the flags on the World Series Trophy. Photographs from the archives of the MLB and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum grace the pages of Eyewitness World Series, making it the ultimate insider's look at the best of baseba ... Read more

Book Description

Some people see a wall and look for a way around it. Other people look for a way over it! If you are one of those, then this introduction to rock climbing is the book for you! Explore the different kinds of climbing, the equipment climbers use, and how they stay safe.Soon, you'll want to start tackling that wall! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Misleading title
This book has a lot of good information about the history of amusement parks. Unfortunately, I found absolutely no mention of cotton candy anywhere except in the book's title. No crime, I suppose, but it's a little disappointing--I needed to find some history and process of making cotton candy.

It's a really great book for junior amusement park junkies.
I highly recommend this book because it's filled with fun and intresting facts for growing minds. It covers everything from Coney Island to the present. In my opinion it's 64 pages of fun and learning. But don't take my word for it,read it yourself. ... Read more

Book Description

Approx. 5 hours
3 cassettes

Bat 6 - that's the softball game played every year between the sixth-grade girls of Barlow and Bear Creek Ridge.All the girls - Beautiful Hair Hallie, Manzanita who gets the spirit, the twins Lola and Lila, Tootie, Shadean - they've been waiting for their turn at Bat 6 since they could first toss a ball.

This time there's a newcomer on each team:Aki, at first base for the Ridgers, who just returned with her family from a place she's too embarrassed to talk about.And Shazam, center field for Barlow, who's been shunted around by her mother since her father was killed on December 7, 1941.

The adults of the two towns would rather not speak about why Aki's family had to "go away."They can't quite admit just how "different" Shazam is.And that is why the two girls are on a collision course that explodes catastrophically on the morning of Bat 6, the day they've been preparing for all their lives. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Bat 6
Bat 6 is told from the point of view of two softball teams from two neighboring towns that play a championship game every year. In 1949 each team had a new player. Aki, who just returned from the internment camps, joined one team, and Shazam, whose father was killed at Pearl Harbor, joined the other. Shazam blamed Aki for killing her father because she was Japanese. At the championship softball game, the hatred came out and a horrific event happened. This book is a very creative story that I liked very much but the pace was a little too slow for my taste. The author also skipped around too much as she went from one girl's view to another's. I would recommend this book to children of ages 10-13 because of the language and the complex story.

21 Very Different Girls
Bat 6 is an annual softball game played by two teams from small towns in Oregon. The Bat 6 game has been going on since 1899, and all of the girls are determined to win this year's Bat 6 game. The two teams names are Barlow Creek and Bear Creek Ridge. Bear Creek Ridge has won more games than Barlow, and that makes the girls on Barlow even more determined to win this year.
The author chose a very complex way of writing this book. In some parts of the book, you can barely understand what she is trying to say. The narrator changes a lot and that's what makes it even more confusing. I like what she chose to do because you get to hear thoughts from different characters about what is going on in the book. Various characters help tell this amazing, complex story. This book gives a lot of detail and makes you think a lot. It is good for kids eight and older because it might be hard for little children to understand, but I would definitely recommend reading this book.
All the girls on each team are different, just like me and you. There is one girl in particular. This girl's name is Shazam. Her father was killed in World War Two, during the Pearl Harbor attack. She hates all Japanese people now. She thinks all of them are evil and they are out to get her. Shazam joins the Barlow team and definitely stands out from the other players.
Bear Creek Ridge gets a new player too. Her name is Aki and she's Japanese. She can throw left and right and can hit very well. She becomes one of the best players on the team, but the other girls don't mind. They are all kind to one another and they are open to all people.
The Bat 6 game comes so soon. This is the day all of the girls have been waiting for all of their lives. The game is going well; the teams are both doing very well. Everyone is nervous. Towards the end of the game, something happens that will change the girls' lives forever and will go down in Bat 6 history. Something that no one is expecting. A terrible event, maybe the worst the girls had ever seen, something that damaged a person for a long time, maybe even for life.

Complex and Exciting
An extraordinarily complex story of two girls baseball teams with a terrific plot that any girl should have the pleasure to read. The characters are easy to get to know and extremely realistic, each one with a different personality. Virginia E. Wolff makes characters that can be slightly arrogant yet at the same time your best friend. Chapters had great cliff-hangers and will keep you reading up to the end.

Good, but confusing
Bat 6 is the name of an annual 6th grade girls' softball game between two neighboring Oregon towns. It was started in 1899 by the women of the two towns in an effort to get the menfolk of each town talking to each other.

As this book opens, it is the beginning of the 1949 season, and girls on both teams are preparing for the big 50th annual game. New on the Bear Creek Ridge team is Aki, a Japanese-American girl whose family has just returned from the concentration camp where they lived during WWII. New to the Barlow team is Shazam, who lost her father when Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. The very first line of the book, "Now that it's over, we are telling," sets up the expectation of something catastrophic happening and that tension is well maintained throughout the book as the girls on each team share bits and pieces of what happened at the Big Game.

Bat 6 was a worthwhile read exploring themes of racial tension, rivalry, and the effect of war on the mind of a child. However, it was difficult going. In spite of chapter headings it was hard to keep track of who was narrating and what team they were on. In fact it took me four chapters just to realize that these girls were on different teams, so I had to backtrack in my reading and pay more attention to chapter headings. A table is provided at the beginning of the book which lists each girl on each team, but to have to flip back and refer to it every time the narrator's voice changes interrupts the reading experience and makes a book like this work rather than fun.

This may be a good read-aloud, but it would be an unusual 9-12 year old who would be able to keep track of the story.

Bat Six
This book is a tense conflict of emotions after world war two. Its extremely real characters and prejudices fit in perfectly with the time and setting. The thoughtful Aki contrasts with the tempermental, troubled, Shazam, and the incident at Bat Six is strongly foreshadowed but shocking even so.
This is a great book!!! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

"The only real game in the world is baseball". B. Ruth 1948
The who, what, when, where and why story of baseball. This book features fact, folklore and fantasy surrounding the history of baseball. Strategically organized into nine chapters with an index and appednix to help young readers find specific people or items. The illustrations and pictures enhance the overall quality of the book.

This book will help you understand the simple rules and history of the game, and yet Mackay doesn't hide some of the ugly incidents of the game(scandals, gambling and racism are explored).

Youngsters are introduced to the boxscore and how to read the boxscore. Positions are explained as well as the role of umpires and managers/coaches...and there are enough facts to keep you on your toes for the barage of trivia questions you'll hear for weeks afterward.

This book should help foster the love of the game and is a great introduction to the game for boys and girls. A great gift for the young baseball players in your family!

My ten year old son couldn't put it down.
This is best baseball facts book I have every read. Its fun and entertaining. My son, who is an avid baseball fan checked it out from the library and was rarely seen without it until he had read the entire book. He read it in the car, on the school bus, on the way to his little league games, before bed, after bed, and even during church services. He kept on telling me such amazing and fun facts about baseball that when he finished it I read it too ... Read more

Amazon.com

Rodeo. Now there's a subject that your average suburban or urban kid doesn't get much exposure to these days. And while many politically correct adults have written the rodeo off as a barbaric and animal-unfriendly pastime from a bygone era, for others, it remains a vital and important celebration of the American Western heritage. Let's Rodeo! aims to introduce young readers to the world of cowboys and bucking broncos, explaining the events of a junior rodeo with clear prose and exciting photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

The ABC's of Tennis was created to help parents introduce the game of tennis to young children and promote reading at an early age.Meet our enthusiastic and talented bunch of kids as they lob,spin and volley their way, A through Z. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Finally...a great children's book...The ABC's of Tennis
This is a superb book. Every parent should consider buying this favorite reader for any young sports enthusiast, especially if your child is interested in the sport of tennis. If your child doesn't run to you night-after-night asking you to read this one to them, you'll be shocked. The attention to detail and diversity is incredible. Congratulations GHL.

Happy in Harleysville, PA

The ABC's of Tennis
A wonderfully illustrated and written book introducing young children to terms used in tennis A through Z. My kids want to read it every night before bed. They love looking at the pictures! ... Read more

Book Description

Fan mail isn't unusual - even when the celebrity in question has four hooves. The great Kelso had a fan club, John Henry still has a loyal following, and surely Secretariat received a letter or two in his time. But when Smarty Jones took the world by storm in 2004, his mailbox overflowed. The underdog horse that nearly won the Triple Crown received more than a million letters in three months. That's five thousand letters every day, many addressed simply to "Smarty Jones, Philadelphia Park."Dozens of these letters from horse lovers, grade-schoolers, animals, and racing fans were selected for Dear Smarty. They're filled with the encouragement we'd all like to hear: "You tried your hardest and you'll always be a champion to me!" This book is a touching, must-have collectible from the Smarty Jones' racing era. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Team Smarty Jones Fan's
I acquired this wonderful outstanding collection written by Bill Valentine at Oaklawn park in Hot Springs, Arkansas during a book sighning.Mr. Valentine and myself shared different stories with each other regarding the overwhelming love and affection America shares with this little chest nut horse.Smarty Jones will also be forever America's favorite son.

This book compiled of several fan mail's from kids, adults, and even other animals were sent to Smarty throughout his career.Many were sent to Smarty Jones, PA and amazingly enough they reached him without any other details of a correct address.That goes to show you how popular this little chest nut was and still is.Even after his retirement to stud he is still getting fan mail by the bags daily.

Each letter in this book is so compelling.Some are written in crayon by the most sincere children who spilled their heart to this beloved horse.I laughed till I cried with some of the letters.Many were written by children who are handicap and see Smarty as their hero and inspiration to overcome any obtacles that stand in their own way to success.This is truly an amazing book to read and feel coming from the hearts of those who love this horse.Team Smarty will be forever in the hearts of America forever.I promise if you say, "Smarty Jones", most everyone will say, "That was one heck of a spunky horse."

Cecilia ... Read more

Book Description

The Wild Side features amazing, strange, and unbelievable nonfiction selections that students will want to read. Each book includes new exercises and activities that improve reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. ... Read more

Book Description

This sounds like a job for Detective Dinosaur and Officer Pterodactyl! The prehistoric police pair from Detective Dinosaur is back on the beat with new cases to crack. But what will happen when Dective Dinosaur loses his way in the dark? Will he be found at a loss?

... Read more

Reviews (1)

Detective Dinosaur Lost and Found
There were 3 short stories about 2 police dinosaurs in this book. It is humorous, with good color illustrations. I would recommend it for the K through 3rd grade level, as well as the teachers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great African Americans by Taylor Oughton
Teachers are always searching for something interesting to use for Black History Month. This is it! Writers, doctors, artists, educators, politicians, sports figures, inventors and many more can be found in this interesting coloring book. Under each sketch is a paragraph telling about the individual. My students will enjoy these next September. ... Read more

Book Description

Shannon Miller, the most decorated gymnast in American history, has won sixteen medals and is one of the sports world's most positive role models.Yet none of it would have happened if a little girl from Oklahoma hadn't dared to dream ...and followed up on that dream with hard work, commitment, and a firm belief in herself.

"I've learned to be disciplined and organized in order to balance gymnastics, college, and a social life," says Shannon.But how does she do it?And is that kind of focus within your reach?Yes!With friendly, upbeat advice, Shannon shares how she succeeds in being a winner both inside and outside the gym.Inspiring sections in Winning Every Day include: