BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Divided into three chapters as suggested by the subtitle, this book introduces the reader to some historical and current events that illustrate how sports in the U.S. intersect with race, gender, and politics. The first chapter moves from the Great White Hope to Black Lives Matter, and includes some American Indian and Muslim stories too. The second chapter covers the fight for equality for women athletes, and also touches upon fights for equality for gay and transgender athletes, and issues related to the MeToo movement. The last chapter includes examples of sports being used as a platform both to protest against war as well as to express patriotism.
Current events can be challenging to understand. By using the lens of sports, a subject that many kids are familiar with and interested in, this author encourages readers to reflect on some complicated issues in our society. Though this volume is relatively thin, and thus only lightly touches upon some very complicated issues, it provides a place for students to begin. Some of the book’s topics may make it more appropriate for a middle-school setting. Interspersed among the text are many engaging full-page photos, and the back matter includes source notes, glossary, selected bibliography, and index.
P.K.Foster, MLS, school librarian
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1 comment:
Thanks for the review. I was wondering about purchasing this but hadn't been able to get ahold of the copy. Think I will go ahead so I can have this for next school year.
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