More Than A Game, Vol. 13

More than a Game is a comprehensive overview of adolescent sports literature, its history, and contemporary trends in the field. Sports are a prominent part of American culture, and the growth of sports literature reflects America's passion for sports and athletes. This reference explains why sports literature for young adults deserves space in libraries, bookstores, and in secondary English classrooms. Additional chapters cover the history of young adult sports literature, sport in fiction and nonfiction, sports literature for young women, and the representation of coaches in young adult novels. Teachers, librarians and readers will appreciate the extensive booklists—more than 3000 sports titles—and additional reference sources to sports and sports literature.

This book recognizes the strong presence of young adult sports literature in contemporary publishing and reading, and its goal is to help teenagers, teachers, and librarians understand the literature, its history, and its importance in contemporary society.

Elaine McGuire - VOYA

Joining the excellent Scarecrow Studies in Young Adult Literature series, this title tackles the issue of sports fiction, poetry, and nonfiction for teen readers. Chapters feature the justification for and history of the genre. Common literary disregard for sports books is keenly examined. Rosters and rules of sports fiction-athletes, coaches, play-by-play action-are outlined. "Sports literature for young women" includes not only general information about girls' sports books but also introduces a subgenre called "lone girl" stories in which the girl is the groundbreaker female on a boys' team. Four appendixes list further professional reading, thousands of sports titles for teens, the author's top one hundred, and key sports Web sites. This thirteenth series entry scores as accurately as its famed number-sake (Dan Marino). Readable and fascinating, the chapters flow from the historic disrespect and questionable quality of sports literature (sports books do not win literary prizes) to its evolution into complex, diverse works (but they still do not win). The author's background as coach and English professor allows fair treatment of this popular genre. His underlying message, apparent in every chapter and title selected, is that sports books "offer the same benefits, challenges, and intellectual stimulation as any other well-written novel." Categorizing and listing every sports-related book with teen appeal is an impossible feat, but the appendixes earn a medal for their impressive range. If only all professional reading could be so brainy and muscular. 2004, Scarecrow Press, 188p.; Index. Biblio. Source Notes. Appendix., PLB. Ages adult professional.

Chris Crowe is a professor of English at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, where he specializes in young adult literature. He has served as the Chair for ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) and is the prolific author of many articles, short stories, and other works.