Fundamental Tennis FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Victoria Crenson
Coach Miller tells us that, unlike football or basketball, you don't have to be big and strong to be a good tennis player--just have quick hands and feet and a sharp mind. Photographs of young tennis players demonstrating the four strokes add to the motivating "I can do this!" feel of the book. Miller also includes profiles of tennis greats Bjorn Borg and Chris Evert as well as a short history of tennis, practice tips, and facts about tennis courts and equipment. In India where clay is scarce, for example, some courts "are made of cow poop that is rolled and made flat and hard." It also includes sidebars on sportsmanship, tennis etiquette and wheelchair tennis. Part of the "Fundamental Sports" series
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-These uneven series entries provide a brief history of each sport, followed by basic information and explanations of rules and equipment. Golf is by far the more successful of the two, giving a clear presentation of the game for beginners. Diagrams explaining clubs, courses, and swings are useful and easy to understand. Tennis, on the other hand, is often confusing in both text and diagrams, especially the section on the grip line. In both volumes, the full-color outdoor photographs are plagued by shadows, often resulting in the young athletes being lost in darkness. Also, many of the photos are not captioned. Still, Golf may be useful for libraries needing material on the subject; take a pass on Tennis.-George Delalis, Chicago Public Library
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