And Nobody Got Hurt!

November 1, 2007
Gr 3-7-This book is chock-full of bloopers and bizarre happenings. The yarns are grouped by sport, with short chapters devoted to football, baseball, soccer, basketball, and a catch-all at the end. Berman, a well-known sportscaster, writes as he speaks, and his jovial style will engage reluctant readers. While most of the stories involve bungles and missteps from the past decade, a fair amount of unusual sports history from the 20th century is sprinkled in, especially in the chapter devoted to the Olympics. The book's appeal is not limited to sports lovers. Berman does a nice job of explaining the basic rules of each game, and the final chapter deals with decidedly nontraditional competitions including eat-offs and pulling trucks with one's ears. Throughout, Gamble's caricaturelike drawings maintain the light tone. However, sticklers for detail will notice that in the illustrations, numbers on players' uniforms don't always match their actual team numbers. Purchase this volume where there is solid demand for Berman's first collection or where sports almanacs and trivia books are popular."Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.