The World of CrossFit

Gr 7 Up—This series introduces sports that may not be taught in typical physical education classes, such as yoga and cross-training. Each book begins with a descriptive story about teens experiencing a workout: a blow-by-blow approach that slows down the flow with too many details, leaving readers hungry for a basic factual overview. There is also an excess of information about fringe yoga styles like doga (yoga with dogs). These books don't hone in on the information that kids will need when deciding whether to try one of these exercises, throwing a ton of material at readers without organizing it or communicating clearly (for instance, the chapter on yoga history comes too soon, before readers know enough about its role in contemporary society), and long walls of text may be intimidating. The graphics appear dated, with page numbers in compact disc icons, and the photo quality is dark, blurry, and poor, many of them featuring adult models who won't resonate with the intended audience. Though the books take on interesting subjects, their many flaws make them problematic.