Early Sports Encyclopedias

For browsers who want a Guinness Book experience, but with a laser focus on sports, this series is clutch. Each book follows a similar formula, starting with a history of the sport and the formation of formal competition. For MLB, NBA, and NFL, the league history is followed with the backstories, best players, and lifetime stats of each individual team. Mini bios of star athletes are followed by lists of ­all-time leaders across a variety of statistical categories. The Olympics Encyclopedia for Kids starts with the history of the games, then breaks down the individual events for both summer and winter games. There’s a section dedicated to the Paralympics, as well as past events that were discontinued and memorable milestones. Each encyclopedia includes references to times when sports weren’t equitable for athletes of ­color, early and often. The bite-sized, honest history makes this an ideal add. VERDICT A first purchase.

—Sports Encyclopedias – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple (Apr 2022)
Sports are a great way for kids to get active and make new friends. In the Early Sports Encyclopedias, readers will learn how to play baseball and softball, basketball, dance, football, gymnastics, and soccer. Information about each sport's history, its teams, and superstar athletes will keep kids engaged and eager for more. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Early Encyclopedias is an imprint of Abdo Reference, a division of ABDO.