Balls!

While this book may be geared for older kids, I got it for my son when he was about 18 months. It is by far his favorite book ever! Granted, he has an obsession with balls in general, but through this book and its great illustrations and photos, I was able to teach him the names of different balls, how to play different sports, the different equipment used, and a host of other information. He is now 2 years old and the book is so dog eared, I'll have to buy him another copy. I highly recommend it for parents who have children who love balls!

Balls! is more than a picturbook - it is a 72-page compendium of amazing facts about balls used to play all types of popular sports, from handball to soccer balls to tennis balls, golf balls, footballs and much more. Colorful photographs and sketches on every page illustrate this collection crammed full of history, uses, designs, quotes, statistics, and much more. Though designed for inquisitive young adult minds, Balls! is fun (and educational!) for readers of all ages. A list of recommended websites for further reading rounds out this fascinating trivia anthology recommended for school and public library collections as well as the libraries of budding sports fans.

Baseballs, basketballs soccer balls, footballs, tennis balls, hand balls, golf balls, volley balls ping pong (er..table tennis) balls and odd balls are all described, dissected, and detailed. Do you know how footballs are made? Do you want to understand the dynamics of a golf ball? This book is terrific. It is well written with an easy to read and well designed layout. Many of the chapters have a "Ball of Fame" section. "Wilson" from the movie Cast Away is featured in the volleyball section. Did you know there are three types of tennis balls that may be used in a tennis match? The book invites browsing and the large clear photos invite the reader into the book. This is a nonfiction gotta-have-it!

A great mix of facts and fun. While offering a comprehensive and well researched overview of the actual balls used in soccer, basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis, table tennis, football, and golf, Rosen manages to do two other crucial things: he choses just those facts that kids of all ages (and all interest levels) would find fascinating, AND he delivers the material in a lively, funny, quirky manner. The book includes equal parts archival photos and information diagrams (such as the composition of each ball) and witty illustrations by a great illustrator, John Margeson. (You can see 5 of his images that I've shared on this site.) Overall, it's a book not only for kids--or parents--who are nuts about sports, but also for kids who just love "cool" information. I can't think of another book on sports that can include pangolins, puffball mushrooms, Ping Pong, astronaunt John Glenn, the New Year's Eve ball in Times Square...and so many other "oddball" and entertaining facts. A great reference book, but also the sort of book kids would be eager to share with friends. I'd say for ages 8 to 14, easily.