Exploration and Recreation: Sports | Series Made Simple Fall 2012

Reading about recreational activities (not to be confused with “recreational reading,” though there can be overlap) is no substitute for actually getting outdoors or onto the field or court. However, it can enhance an understanding of, and appreciation for, sports’ and activities’ pleasures, hazards, specialized gear, and physical requirements. Falling well short of serving as practical handbooks but catering to basic assignment use and inspiring readers to explore and experience nature, most of the series present broad overviews of an array of outdoorsy pursuits. All of these titles are capped with leads to further relevant information in print or on the web, and the better ones also glance at conservation issues or otherwise expand the subjects. Covering related but more competitive activities, this year’s crop of surveys of professional sports records and national or international championships gives amateur and armchair athletes alike plenty to pore over.

Preschool-Grade 4

CHANDLER, Matt. Deer Hunting for Kids. maps. ISBN 978-1-4296-8425-5; ISBN 978-1-4296-9267-0. LC 2011051834.
HOWARD, Melanie A. Bowhunting for Kids. ISBN 978-1-4296-8424-8; ISBN 978-1-4296-9265-6. LC 2012006893.
–––– . Camping for Kids. ISBN 978-1-4296-8423-1; ISBN 978-1-4296-9266-3. LC 2012004671.
–––– . Freshwater Fishing for Kids. ISBN 978-1-4296-8422-4; ISBN 978-1-4296-9269-4. LC 2012006922.
OMOTH, Tyler. Duck Hunting for Kids. ISBN 978-1-4296-8616-7; ISBN 978-1-4296-9268-7. LC 2011051837.
–––– . Turkey Hunting for Kids. map. ISBN 978-1-4296-8615-0; ISBN 978-1-4296-9270-0. LC 2011051836.
ea vol: 32p. (Edge Books: Into the Great Outdoors Series). photos. reprods. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Capstone. 2012. PLB $27.32; pap. $7.95.
Gr 3-5–Despite repeated references to the “thrill of the hunt” in Deer and descriptive opening scenarios in every volume, these introductions for young anglers and hunters (Camping is the odd title out) fail to provoke real enthusiasm or provide sufficiently specific information. Though the color photos do show young people of both sexes in camouflage or blaze orange vests armed with guns, bows, or fishing rods as appropriate, the texts are skimpy. For example, in Deer readers are encouraged to field dress their kills but are not shown how, and in Bowhunting prospective hunters are left to guess what a “string silencer” might be. Coverage is not systematic either: a list of bow-hunted animals includes bears(!) but not fish even though fish are mentioned later, and the techniques in Fishing do not include fly fishing.

FRIESEN, Helen Lepp. Fishing. ISBN 978-1-61913-503-1; ISBN 978-1-61913-507-9. LC 2012005578.
GURTLER, Janet. Small Game. ISBN 978-1-61913-504-8; ISBN 978-1-61913-508-6. LC 2012005576.
MCDOWELL, Pamela. Birds. ISBN 978-1-61913-505-5; ISBN 978-1-61913-509-3. LC 2012005577.
MCNEICE, Connie-Lee. Big Game. ISBN 978-1-61913-502-4; ISBN 978-1-61913-506-2. LC 2012005575.
ea vol: 24p. (Outdoor Hunting Guide Series). photos. reprods. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Weigl. 2012. PLB $27.13; pap. $12.95.

Gr 2-4– “Hunting is pursuing animals in nature. People hunt animals for food or sport.” Like templates for Common Core instruction, these volumes survey their subjects with glances at history, techniques, and gear of their respective activities, along with profiles of the most common types of animals hunted and their habitats. They back up the informational content with color photos, discussions of responsible hunting or fishing, research suggestions for crafting a written report, brief mentions of relevant careers, and even generic but challenging recipes for turning game into roasts or other dishes. Supplementary audio, video, and other materials for each title are available on a dedicated website. The level of specific detail is thin, but the great diversity of the approaches used in this set certainly enhances its pedagogical potential.

HARASYMIW, Raymond. Kayaking and Rafting. ISBN 978-1-4339-7103-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-7106-8. LC 2011051419.
SHEA, Robert Kennedy. Hunting. ISBN 978-1-4339-7099-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-7102-0. LC 2011051099.
SISK, Maeve. Caving. ISBN 978-1-4339-7091-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-7094-8. LC 2011046302.
SNYDER, Adeline. Camping. ISBN 978-1-4339-7087-0; ISBN 978-1-4339-7090-0. LC 2011045635.
WEINGARTEN, A. J. Rock Climbing. ISBN 978-1-4339-7107-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-7110-5. LC 2011052947.
WEINGARTEN, E. T. Fishing. ISBN 978-1-4339-7095-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-7098-6. LC 2011047930.
ea vol: 24p. (The Great Outdoors Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2012. PLB $22.60; ebook $22.60.
Gr 2-4–Though simply written, these guides offer cogent information and instructions about outdoor activities. Kayaking, for example, contains instructions (best learned before being needed) for rolling a capsized boat back over. Camping includes not only systematic advice about planning a trip and gathering supplies, but also mentions entertaining things to do, such as cooking and taking hikes, then ends with safety admonitions and a basic checklist. All volumes are illustrated with captioned color photos and most have value-adding features, such as a detailed account of how caves form in Caving and a page on overfishing issues in Fishing. No children are featured in the photos in Hunting except on the cover.

Grades 5 & Up

BRAR, Aneel. Super Bowl. ISBN 978-1-61913-061-6; ISBN 978-1-61913-623-6. LC 2012021769.
CHO, Alan. World Series. ISBN 978-1-61913-063-0; ISBN 978-1-61913-625-0. LC 2012021993.
DE MEDEIROS, Michael. NBA. ISBN 978-1-61913-060-9; ISBN 978-1-61913-622-9. LC 2012021768.
HOWSE, Jennifer. NASCAR Sprint Cup. ISBN 978-1-61913-616-8; ISBN 978-1-61913-618-2. LC 2012021767.
WEBSTER, Christine. The Masters. ISBN 978-1-61913-617-5; ISBN 978-1-61913-619-9. LC 2012021991.
WHITFIELD, David. World Cup. ISBN 978-1-61913-062-3; ISBN 978-1-61913-624-3. LC 2012021992.
ea vol: 32p. (Pro Sports Championships Series). charts. diags. map. photos. chron. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Weigl. 2012. PLB $28.55; pap. $13.95.
Gr 4-6–Constructed on such a rigid framework that all volumes have entries on women in their respective sports, even though all but the NASCAR races are men-only, these portraits of championship competitions and games offer fans and non-fans alike generous quantities of background information. This includes not only historical developments and highlights, but also labeled views of playing fields and competition sites, discussions of basic rules of play, official equipment descriptions, sections on “Famous Firsts,” galleries of legendary stars, maps, quizzes, and even, on a dedicated website, multimedia material. A mix of labeled images and action photos provides information and visual energy.

CARPENTER, Tom. Big Game Hunting: Bear, Deer, Elk, Sheep, and More. diag. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0222-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-0225-6. LC 2012004461.
–––– . Freshwater Fishing: Bass, Trout, Walleye, Catfish, and More. diags. ISBN 978-1-4677-0219-5; ISBN 978-1-4677-0226-3. LC 2011050535.
–––– . Saltwater Fishing: Snapper, Mackerel, Bluefish, Tuna, and More. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0220-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-0227-0. LC 2012007053.
–––– . Small Game Hunting: Rabbit, Raccoon, Squirrel, Opossum, and More. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0224-9; ISBN 978-1-4677-0228-7. LC 2012002264.
–––– . Upland Bird Hunting: Wild Turkey, Pheasant, Grouse, Quail, and More. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0223-2; ISBN 978-1-4677-0229-4. LC 2012012214.
–––– . Waterfowl Hunting: Duck, Goose, and More. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4677-0221-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-0230-0. LC 2012002263.
ea vol: 32p. (Great Outdoors Sports Zone Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Lerner. Nov. 2012. PLB $26.60; ebook $19.95.
Gr 4-7–Regardless of a certain amount of boilerplate, such as safe gun practices and a general focus on northern climes that excludes such prey as alligators and wild pigs, these profiles of North American game hunting and fishing are valuable for their breadth of coverage. Along with providing general pictures of recommended gear and garb, Carpenter devotes spreads to each type of activity’s historical techniques and importance, ethical attitudes and practices, and even (with adult help required) how to dress and cook various kills. Color photos feature both hunters (adults more often than children) and animals in the wild, and each volume closes with both multimedia resources and a link to downloadable material from the publisher’s site.

CHAMPION, Neil. Wild Biking: Off-Road Mountain Biking. map. ISBN 978-1-59920-811-4. LC 2012004781.
–––– . Wild Rock: Climbing and Mountaineering. ISBN 978-1-59920-807-7. LC 2011047432.
–––– . Wild Snow: Skiing and Snowboarding. ISBN 978-1-59920-808-4. LC 2011051487.
–––– . Wild Trail: Hiking and Camping. map. ISBN 978-1-59920-809-1. LC 2011048316.
–––– . Wild Underground: Caves and Caving. map. ISBN 978-1-59920-810-7. LC 2012002526.
–––– . Wild Water: Canoeing and Kayaking. map. ISBN 978-1-59920-812-1. LC 2011047436.
ea vol: 32p. (Adventure Outdoors Series). diags. photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Smart Apple Media. 2012. PLB $28.50.
Gr 4-6–Despite some instructional information, such as how to tie useful knots in Rock and Underground and how to repair a flat in Biking,these introductions to adventuresome activities are designed more to pique early interest in readers than to serve as handbooks. Along with photos of unexceptional quality depicting mostly teenagers and adults modeling the requisite gear in outdoor settings and schematic views of important required equipment, the short blocks of expository text are accompanied by text boxes of “True Survivors” anecdotes and relevant “Amazing Facts.” A warning in Biking aside (“You should expect to take some falls–they’re all part of the fun.”), safety measures are fairly prominent. Each volume closes with a multiple choice quiz.

FREDERICK, Shane. The Ultimate Collection of Pro Football Records. ISBN 978-1-4296-8578-8; ISBN 978-1-4296-9432-2. LC 2012006162.
–––– . The Ultimate Collection of Pro Hockey Records. ISBN 978-1-4296-8579-5; ISBN 978-1-4296-9434-6. LC 2012006163.
OMOTH, Tyler. The Ultimate Collection of Pro Basketball Records. ISBN 978-1-4296-8653-2; ISBN 978-1-4296-9430-8. LC 2012009310.
WACHOLTZ, Anthony. The Ultimate Collection of Pro Baseball Records. ISBN 978-1-4296-8714-0; ISBN 978-1-4296-9428-5. LC 2012016718.
ea vol: 64p. (Sports Illustrated Kids: For the Record Series). charts. photos. further reading. index. websites. CIP. Capstone. 2012. PLB $33.99; pap. $8.95.
Gr 4-9-Consisting largely of top-ten lists with brief anecdotal accounts of particular highlights and small color action photos, these browsing items will rivet confirmed fans. Each book is organized into gatherings of individual, team, and postseason records (Basketball includes a separate chapter for the WNBA) and closes with an index of names and leads to relevant print and Web resources. Though most of the cited feats are positive ones, some (such as most “Penalty Minutes” in Hockey and “Personal Fouls” in Basketball) track less laudable behavior. Quick nearby descriptions give non-fans clues about what specialized stats (“3-Pointers,” “Hat Trick”) mean, and with rare exceptions, such as a table of “Coldest Games” in Football, the chosen data is significant. The fly in the ointment, of course, is that though the statistics include the 2011 seasons, much of the information will be out of date by the time these volumes arrive on shelves.

In sum, the two pro sports series are likely to be popular with browsers, though Capstone’s “Sports Illustrated Kids: For the Record” will start showing its age almost instantly. Gareth Stevens’s “The Great Outdoors” and Lerner’s “Great Outdoors Sports Zone” are both well designed for classroom use, but will also give prospective young vacationers and hunters informative onceovers. Even at an elementary level of discourse, Capstone’s “Edge Books: Into the Great Outdoors” leaves out too much and is too skimpy with specifics. The other series offer quick but at least systematic surveys of their topics along with generous quantities of supplementary material, making them acceptable additions where interest or local culture warrant.