Showing results by publisher "----RM Alexander" in Sports & Recreation

Read about American snowboarder Shaun White and his epic career in this exciting addition to the Who Was? series. Shaun White, known as “The Flying Tomato" because of his bright red hair, received his first snowboarding sponsorship by age seven. This was just the first of a lifetime of...

Travel to Greece and watch Cynisca, a Spartan princess, become the first ever woman to win at the ancient Olympic Games. Or touch the heavens with Junko Tabei as she carves her path through history and mountain ranges with little applause but a lot of bravery. In this book Kate Pankhurst, descendant of Emmeline Pankhurst, tells the fascinating stories of some of history's most talented female sports stars.

Auston Matthews felt at home on the ice as soon as he stepped onto a rink as a kid. Soon, hockey scouts watched him closely as he broke records in the youth hockey. After signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he made an immediate impact by being the first player in the modern era to score four goals in his National Hockey League debut. Learn about the rise of a three-time NHL All-Star in this exciting, fast-paced biography.

As the youngest player in the National Basketball Association during his rookie season, Giannis Antetokounmpo looked like a rising star. At almost seven feet tall, he would become an All-Star Game starter and winner of the NBA's most improved player award.

At 17-years-old, Chloe Kim became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal. She was the first snowboarder to win halfpipe gold at the Olympics, the World Championships, and the X Games. Kim's hard work and determination make for an exciting story in this winning biography.

Bubba Wallace started racing cars at nine years old. He began competing in 2010 and hasn’t slowed down since, setting records as the youngest winner at many races. He was the first Black driver to win Rookie of the Year for NASCAR.

Baseball runs in the family for Fernando Tatis Jr. Both his father and grandfather played professional baseball. Tatis signed his first professional baseball contract when he was just 16 years old! He made his major league debut a few years later and broke an age record that same day. Learn more about this Dominican shortstop superstar!

Elena Delle Donne made her WNBA debut in 2013 and earned the Rookie of the Year award. It was just a glimpse of what was to come. Delle Donne has been an All-Star six times, and she led the Washington Mystics to a championship win in 2019. Get the highlights of Delle Donne’s amazing career and learn about her community involvement off the court.

Around three years old, Sabrina Ionescu picked up a basketball. While she had natural talent, Ionescu worked hard. In middle school there weren’t enough players for a girls’ basketball team. Ionescu wasn’t allowed on the boys’ team, but she didn’t give up. Instead, she recruited enough girls to make a team.

Naomi Osaka is the first Asian tennis player to hold the number one singles ranking in the Women's Tennis Association. She started to make a name for herself at 16 and is now known around the world. Osaka has defeated the toughest players in the league and her talent continues to rise each year.

Outfielder Christian Yelich joined Little League when he was four and never stopped playing. From traveling teams when he was young to being drafted as a professional player, baseball was a priority for Yelich. He was named the National League’s MVP in 2018.

Alex Morgan first joined a soccer team when she was 14 years old, quickly impressing her peers and coaches with her skills. From there, she grew to become a world-class soccer player, reaching incredible heights including a FIFA Women's World Cup championship and an Olympic gold medal. Learn about Alex's rise in soccer in this electric biography in the Stars of Sports series.

Patrick Mahomes, the 2018 most valuable player in the National Football League, could have succeeded in any sport. Growing up, he played baseball, basketball, and football. After joining the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL, he broke record after record, including most passing yards and most passes completed in a single season. Learn all the facts on Mahomes's meteoric rise in the NFL in this exciting biography.

As a kid Khalil Mack loved basketball, not football. He didn't even start playing football until his senior year of high school. That season he racked up 140 tackles, an amazing total. From then on, football became Mack's focus, and he proved to be a force on the gridiron. In the National Football League, he was named defensive player of the year in 2016, and today he is widely recognized as one of the most dominant players in the pro game. It's easy to see why in this engaging, hard-hitting biography.

Hilary Knight started skating when she was five. Fifteen years later, she was the youngest member on Team USA at the 2010 Olympics. The next 10 years of her career have only gotten more impressive. Discover more about Knight's highlights on and off the ice in this thrilling biography in the Stars of Sports series.

When Candace Parker beat out all the boys at the McDonald's All-American slam dunk contest in 2004, she became the first female player to win the event. In the years that followed, Parker's list of achievements became long and ever-growing. She was WNBA rookie of the year, a two-time WNBA most valuable player, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and more. Parker is also a mother, broadcaster, and role model. Discover more about Parker's amazing life in this inspiring biography.

Standing over 6 feet tall while in middle school, Kevin Durant seemed destined for basketball greatness. He was heavily recruited after high school and never folded to the pressure. From NBA rookie of the year to the NBA finals MVP, Durant has proven himself time and time again. This fresh biography from the Stars of Sports series breaks down his extraordinary list of accomplishments.

Worst-to-first seasons, second-half reversals, and more! In this Sports Illustrated Kids book, discover the all-time biggest comebacks in sports history. Learn about Michael Jordan’s miraculous return after retirement. Discover more about the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. And don’t forget Bethany Hamilton’s unmatched return to surfing after a shark attack!

Taking a stand and being an activist means having the courage to speak up for an important cause. For football player Colin Kaepernick and basketball great LeBron James, fighting for social justice is their top priority. Learn how they and other players use their platform as celebrity athletes to bring attention and change to the cause of social justice.

Did Wilt Chamberlain really score 100 points by himself in a single game? Was the 1985 NBA Draft really fixed to make sure the New York Knicks got the first pick? Was Michael Jordan really let go by his high school basketball team? Get ready to discover the real stories behind these and other great basketball myths and legends!