Tag Archives: Sports Issues

YA – We Are the Wildcats

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Vivian, Siobhan. We Are the Wildcats. Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2020. 978-1-534-43990-0. 352 p. Grades 8 and up. 

The Wildcats are strong, they’re fierce, they’re close, they’re five-time state field hockey champions. Except last year, last year they came in second. Mistakes creeped in and rocked the girls to their very core. Who are they if they aren’t winners? Every year girls must re-try out for the team, even if they’ve made it before. Tryouts are grueling, and Coach is intense, picking only the best of the best. Those who make it are skilled enough to call themselves Wildcats. Traditionally, the night after tryouts, those who make the team participate in a secret midnight ceremony hosted by the captain to receive their varsity jerseys. But this year won’t quite go as planned; this year Coach decides he knows best and the girls end up chasing something they never thought they would. Happening over a 24-hour period, the Wildcats learn what it means to be a team, one that has to stick up for themselves no matter what.

THOUGHTS: We Are the Wildcats is an empowering story about trust, camaraderie, and sportsmanship (or should I say sportswomanship). There are too few truly empowering sports novels for young women, and just like Michigan vs. The Boys this book has forever won a place on my shelf.

Realistic Fiction          Samantha Helwig, Dover Area SD

Series Nonfiction…Fashion, Thinking Critically, Issues in Sports,

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fashioncost
Spilsbury, Louise. The True Cost of Fashion. New York: Crabtree Publishing, 2014. 978-0-7787-0483-6. $15.31. 48p. Gr. 5-8.
Explore the realm of fashion and what it means to be a consumer nation.  The matter covered allows readers to ponder the impact their clothing habits and purchases have on others, the problems with subcontracting and sweatshops, and how changing the way we shop can reshape the future of fashion.  The Fashion World Map shows a breakdown of the top ten exporters and importers.  Bright colored Supply and Demand callouts and text boxes add interesting facts and details.  The pages are ladened with photos while  headings and subheadings clearly label sections of the text.  Back matter includes a glossary, bibliographical references, and an index.
With a conclusive message focusing on the importance of being a responsible consumer and an awareness of poor working conditions and pitiful pay, the reader realizes consumers can play a major role in creating an alternative, favorable future.
338.4 Fashion (Consumer Nation Series)                 Christine Massey, JWP Middle School
issuessports

Issues in Sports (series). Minneapolis: ABDO, 2014. 64p. $22.95 ea. Gr. 6-8.

Basen, Ryan. Injuries in Sports. 978-1-62403-123-6.

Bowker, Paul. Violence in Sports. 978-1-62403-125-0.

Hudson, Maryanne. Concussions in Sports. 978-1-62403-120-5.

Hudson, Maryanne. High-Pressure Youth Sports. 978-1-62403-122-9.

King, Tony. Performing Enhancing Drugs in Sports. 978-1-62403-124-3.

Miller, Tracy. Equality in Sports. 978-162403-121-2.

As any viewer of television knows, the nightly sports reports feature more than just a list of results.  Many controversial and challenging issues are currently facing the world of sports.  The Issues in Sports series aims to examine some of these controversial issues in-depth.  The history of each issue is presented and numerous examples from the world of sport are used to illustrate the topic(s) under discussion.  Sidebars utilize primary source accounts in order to further illuminate topics.  Overall, the series is quite readable, presenting information in a straightforward manner that would be of use to both researchers and the casual reader.

796; Sports      Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg HS/MS

 

 

 

stemcell

Thinking Critically (series). San Diego: Reference Point Press, 2014. 80p. $28.95 ea. Gr. 8 and up.

Dudley, William. Stem Cell Research. 978-1-60152-586-4.

Mooney, Carla. Cell Phones. 978-1-60152-580-2.

Nakaya, Andrea C. Gun Control and Violence. 978-1-60152-606-9.

Nakaya, Andrea C. Social Networking. 978-1-60152-588-8.

Reference Point Press expands their existing Thinking Critically series with the addition of these four titles.  The aim of the series to expose readers to controversial issues currently in the news and to encourage them to critically examine the topics under discussion.  Each chapter tackles a sub-topic related to the main issue under examination. An overview of the sub-topic is presented, and then a pro/con format is used to present facts, evidence, statistics, and more. Diagrams, charts/graphs, and sidebars are utilized to supplement the text.  The text is clearly written and easy to understand.  Ideal for research projects, speech assignments, etc.

Various Non-fiction         Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg HS/MS