The Best of College Basketball

Gr 4–7—These slim volumes load a lot of detail and information into small packages. Aimed at struggling readers, the books use simple sentences, words defined on the page, and well-chosen pictures to craft succinct overviews. Sidebars add interesting detail, and all offer stats, indexes, glossaries with phonetic pronunciations, and suggestions for further reading. The short, repetitive sentences veer toward choppy at times; nevertheless, these are readable introductions to Ali and the Williams sisters. The titles also touch upon how these athletes overcame discrimination. The Negro Leagues and College Basketball are also well done, though both would benefit from tighter organization. Thumbnail sketches of Negro League stars Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson and college greats like "Pistol Pete" Maravich are welcome; these, however, don't follow chronological order, making them slightly confusing. Overall, these detail-rich volumes offer solid overviews.