World Cup 2018: The Teams, the Stars, the Stories

Gr 5 Up—As the title implies, this book gives an overview of the 2018 tournament in Russia, which teams are playing and the players who will probably be out on the field, as well as listing the different venues where the games will be played. There are also chapters about "The Russian Team," "World Cup Records," and extensive coverage of some of the stars such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Paul Pogba. The author also profiles who might win and who's new to the World Cup scene. A four-page spread features the U.S. lineup, though the team didn't make it into the tournament because of a loss to Trinidad and Tobago in the qualifying rounds. There is also a comprehensive list of the history of all the final matches (including some of the historical controversies that inevitably follow), as well as pages at the end that indicate when the first round matches will be played and a place to write in the knockout stages, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the finals. Soccer fans are bound to be intrigued and engaged by the short amounts of text; the big, clear photos; and the punchy graphics, but this one is going to have a short shelf life.