Football: The Defense

School Library Journal

Gr 3-4While there are bits and pieces of useful information in these 24-page titles, it is all presented in such a random and disconnected manner that it is difficult to imagine any youngster actually internalizing and applying anything that might be found here. Some of the material is just silly: converting yardage to meters, for example. Second down and 3.5 meters to go? There are also instances where the writing is so unclear that readers could easily be misled. In Pass, Punt, and Kick, for example, it is stated that, "A true forward pass beyond the line of scrimmage or on a kick return is not legal." This seems to be saying that a forward pass beyond the line of scrimmage is illegal. Obviously not true. What the author apparently means is that a forward pass is illegal if the individual throwing the pass is beyond the line of scrimmage, but it's asking a bit much of an eight or nine-year-old to make this distinction. With oversized print and about a second-grade reading level, this series might have some marginal value for youngsters reading below grade level, but most aspiring football players would be better advised to just watch a few games with a knowledgeable companion.Richard Luzer, Fair Haven Union High School, VT