Lebron James

Fans, teammates, and opponents know him as "King James." Many people consider LeBron James to be the most talented basketball player of his generation. But there is much more to his story. He overcame hard times as a kid and rose to national fame as a teenager. He then jumped right from high school to the pros. Along the way, LeBron never lost sight of where he came from or who he is.

Children's Literature

The "People We Should Know" series of brief biographies includes political stars, athletes, and one astronaut; this title follows the career of basketball superstar LeBron James. Starting with a description of a 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers game that James propelled to victory, the author goes on to describe LeBron's early life as the son of a young single mother in Akron, when life was hard and LeBron turned to sports as a way to excel. Faster and stronger than most kids his age, the young athlete played both football and basketball, opening the way to stardom beginning in the eighth grade. With help from his coach and his family, James improved in academics and had his pick of high schools. Making the varsity teams immediately, he led his school to state championships, then decided to skip college and go straight to the NBA. (A sidebar points out that "NBA teams are no longer allowed to draft high schoolers.") James has since played outstanding basketball for the Cavaliers, been on two Olympic teams, and twice been named an All-Star Most Valuable Player. Basketball fans will discover that James is now a father of two sons and involved in off-court activities like a yearly bike-a-thon for local charities, a summer basketball camp, and his own Family Foundation. Easy to read, full of color shots of basketball action, this summary of James's rise to fame should prove popular with sports-lovers and beginning report writers. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft