Sports from A to Z

Nikki Tate-Stratton writes novels for pre-teens; her latest books are
Jessa Be Nimble, Rebel Be Quick; Raven’s Revenge; and Tarragon Island.

Each page in this colorful survey of different sports includes a photo
of a child (or children) participating in physical activities ranging
from basketball to underwater sports. The message is simple: being
active is both fun and good for you. The wide array of activities
represented illustrates how many options there are for kids looking for
ways to participate in sport.

The format choice is interesting since children reading this book will
probably be way beyond alphabet books. Though many sports are mentioned,
there is little detail provided about any of them, which makes it
difficult to pin down the intended audience—too old for the real
“alphabet crowd” and too young for readers in the elementary grades.


This is an attractively designed book that may be useful for reluctant
readers or for ESL students looking for ways to build vocabulary. It may
hold the interest of some eight- to ten-year-olds who enjoy looking at
sport photos, but doesn’t really offer enough substance to be a
terribly useful reference book. Though younger children may enjoy having
some of the sports descriptions read to them, it’s unlikely most
five-year-olds will get much out of the “Z” discussion on
zero-tolerance and drug testing at the Olympics. Not a first-choice
purchase.