SPORTS SUPERSTARS FROM BLACK HISTORY: Inspiring Stories from the Amazing Careers of Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Allyson Felix, Lebron James, and Many More African American Sports Legends, by Sophia Murphy, Bloom Books for Young Readers an imprint of Ulysses Books for Young Readers, Oct. 1, 2024, Paperback, $15.95 (ages 8 and up)
Discover how 12 Black athletes overcame seemingly impossible odds and insurmountable challenges to achieve their dreams and make a name for themselves in the fields of football, baseball, basketball, tennis, track and field, and gymnastics.
Kids will immerse themselves in the world of sports as they follow iconic figures, from stars of the past to celebrities of today, through the highs and lows of their careers. Young readers will discover the inspirational stories of 12 people—some that they might know and love, and some that they may have never heard of before—all winners in their own right. But this book goes beyond touchdowns and home runs. Each of these figures has overcome many struggles, and kids will learn valuable life lessons from this book’s deeper themes of leadership, perseverance, tenacity, and triumphing over adversity.
Featuring stories about: Serena Williams and Althea Gibson; Aaron Judge and Jackie Robinson; Lebron James and Earl Francis Lloyd; Russell Wilson and Fritz Pollard; Simone Biles and Dominque Dawes; and Allyson Felix and Alice Coachman. —Synopsis provided by Bloom Books for Young Readers an imprint of Ulysses Books for Young Readers
Sports Superstars for Black History is a collection of mini biographies that all follow the same formula — featuring the early years; path to success; trials and tribulations; achievements; and life lessons. Each biography is around 10 pages long and is grouped with another athlete from the same sport.
Author Sophia Murphy’s comfortable text is inviting. And subheads within each chapter help break up the text for readers who aren’t as confident. The only missing is an image of each athlete, which would help draw interest throughout.
