Tennis

Children's Literature

In easy, one- and two-syllable language, Klingel describes the basics of hockey for the emergent reader. Like the other books in the "Wonder Books Nonfiction Readers" series, Klingel and Noyed do an adequate job of explaining the logistics: "Tennis games are called matches. They are played on a tennis court." And they do a good job of describing the game in very simple terms, explaining that the ball bounces easily and the goal is to hit the ball so the other player won't hit it back. But like the most of the rest of the series, the authors skimp on the description of the joy or thrill of the game. What does it feel like to hit the ball hard? Is it a fast or slow game? The answers to these questions are no more obvious than the description of equipment, but would surely bring more enthusiasm. Without that description, the book relies on the engaging powers of strong color photos of children playing tennis. Back matter includes an index, a list of more sources and a letter to parents describing the series. 2003, The Child's World, Ages 4 to 8.
—Amy S. Hansen