FICTION

Sport-O-Rama

by Benoit TARDIF
tr. from French. illus. by Benoit Tardif. 56p. bibliog. glossary. Kids Can. 2015. Tr $17.95. ISBN 9781771383271.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2—Posterlike depictions of 23 sports, rendered in a few basic colors, comprise Tardif's foray into informational picture books aimed at young children, which was originally published in French. The author's humor abounds on nearly every page, and though the structure is simple, there's tons to notice, from speech bubbles in the basketball section reading, "Just try to get by me!" to the athlete in football garb described as a "very hefty player." What sets this title apart from others is the inclusion of sports with which many children are less familiar, such as cricket, horseback riding, and sailing. The fencing section includes French terminology, for example, en garde and touché. There's also a "Halftime" section, a change-of-pace spread where readers are invited to search for items such as a referee whistle and a trophy. The book ends with two-page descriptions of each sport.
VERDICT Older ESL students might benefit from looking for familiar sports and using the corresponding English vocabulary words along with the picture clues. Otherwise, this offering probably won't have repeated readings.
Reviewed by Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
From badminton to volleyball, this wordbook introduces twenty-three sports with instructive labeling. "Marathon" identifies terms such as "runners," "start line," and "bib." Tardif's colorful, graphic illustrations also include touches of humor--a golf ball in an alligator's mouth is an "unplayable ball"--and their stylization gives this elementary sports starter a fresh look. Short descriptions of each sport and a glossary are included.
Colorful, bold illustrations, a multi-panel layout, and clear labels combine to create an engaging beginners' guide to a variety of sports. Readers will enjoy poring over the details, labels, and occasional speech bubbles in the artwork. While most of the labels identify equipment, techniques, and uniform essentials, some are just plain fun and bring levity to the book's overall tone. On the golf spread, for example, a "real alligator" waits, an "unplayable ball" in its mouth, while the golfer exclaims "OH, NO!" On the side of a ski course, a "yeti" appears; and on the gymnastics spread, a gymnast's head includes the labels "bun" and "nervous smile." The back matter contains brief descriptions of all the pictured sports, as well as a glossary, bibliography, and answers to the "halftime" puzzle fittingly placed in the middle of the book.
, Jun 01, 2015

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