Sports and Sporting Equipment

Children's Literature - Heidi Hauser Green

Do you want to know about innovative running shoes? Have you wondered why new competitive swimsuits have been controversial? Are you curious about how today's runners compare to those of the past? Do you want to know how Hawk-Eye helps judge line calls in tennis? These and nine other questions about sports and sporting equipment are answered in the pages of this book. Author Nicholas Brasch takes on snowboards, lawn bowling, auto racing, golf balls, racing bikes, performance-enhancing drugs, and more. He focuses two pages of text on each element, exploring an intriguing aspect such as how it was invented or how it functions. Given that the series constrains each book to just thirteen questions, some choices are perplexing. For example, auto racing gets two questions, while skate boarding and roller skating—which are particularly popular with youth and have seen big changes in their sports equipment in recent years—get none. Sports like baseball, football and basketball are similarly ignored. While this book cannot possibly cover everything, one would expect a question and answer about baseball bats, for example. Football helmets seem to beg coverage, given recent attention to concussion-prevention. Like the other books in "The Technology Behind" series, this one features a colorful format and abundance of information. Illustrations are full-color photographs or drawings, and these appear on every page. Vocabulary words are printed in bold throughout the text, with definitions provided in "Word Watch" blocks on each page. "Web Watch" blocks on each page provide between one or two web addresses of resources with additional information, but strangely several entries have no web resources listed at all. It's a shame this resource provides no list of books for additional information. All in all, this book is suited for answering specific, focused questions. Reviewer: Heidi Hauser Green

School Library Journal

Gr 4–8—An introduction to the general topic is followed by 13 spreads, each answering a question such as, "Why Does the Gateway Arch Sway in the Wind?" (Amazing Built Structures) or "Why Doesn't a Microwave Oven Get Hot?" (Everyday Appliances). Topics are not explored in great depth, but readers are given adequate clear and concise information in an engaging format. Historical information is interspersed throughout, addressing, for example, the history of robot invention in Robots and Artificial Intelligence and that of running shoes in Sports and Sporting Equipment. Readers are sure to find The Internet particularly engaging, as it explores a variety of high-interest topics including how the Internet works, the difference between it and the World Wide Web, and how search engines and Twitter function. Sidebars highlight vocabulary, interesting facts, and relevant websites (a welcome change from their usual location at the back of the book). Lackluster photos and a pastel color scheme detract from this otherwise compelling series.