Sheryl Swoopes, Vol. 9

Children's Literature

This thorough, matter-of-fact biography takes readers from basketball star Sheryl Swoopes' 1970s childhood in Brownfield, Texas through her pro team's fourth WNBA championship in 2000. An Olympic gold medallist who helped lead Team USA to victory at the 1996 Atlanta Games, Swoopes signed on as a forward for the newly formed Houston Comets in 1997, after Olympic glory helped spark interest in a Women's National Basketball Association. Like most great athletes, she has suffered injuries and setbacks. Although the University of Texas at Austin awarded her a scholarship, homesickness kept Swoopes from attending. Instead she settled for junior college and later, Texas Tech in Lubbock. Though many thought Sheryl's college choices wouldn't further her athletic career adequately, she led both her junior college and Texas Tech to stunning victories in women's basketball. After college she became a Nike spokesperson. Nike named a line of women's shoes "Air Swoopes," for Sheryl. Swoopes led the Comets to four consecutive WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000. In 2000 she was named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player. This biography's publisher, Capstone Press, seeks to provide "educational and entertaining books for beginning, less-able, reluctant, and new readers." To that end, author Rosemary Wallner employs short sentences and easily decodable vocabulary. She reports the facts about Swoopes career with little speculation about the athlete's emotional reactions to her triumphs and challenges. The book provides quotes from Swoopes, statistics about the athlete's career, a Career Highlights timeline, a glossary, bibliography, snail mail and web addresses, and an index. Part of the "Sports Heroes" series.2001, Capstone Press, $21.26. Ages 8 up. Reviewer:Robyn Raymer