From the series Greatest Moments in Sports
Billie Jean King and the Battle of the Sexes
Reading Level Grades 3-4Interest Level Grades 3 – 8Copyright 2024
Reviewed
From the series Greatest Moments in Sports
Reading Level Grades 3-4Interest Level Grades 3 – 8Copyright 2024
ReviewedBillie Jean King is not only a tennis superstar. She is also an advocate for equal rights in sports. Throughout her career, she fought against unfair pay and unequal opportunities for women. In her famous Battle of the Sexes victory, she proved once and for all that women can be top tennis players. This graphic nonfiction title explores her story through colorful illustrations, engaging text, and dialogue featuring real quotes. A timeline and map add bonus context for readers. This story serves up inspiration for young readers interested in sports heroes!
A graphic novel format gives readers a firsthand perspective on sports history in this engaging series. Before Billie Jean King took on (and defeated!) Bobby Riggs, she was a little girl who wanted to be the best tennis player in the world. Her athleticism and activism made her a role model. King isn’t the only activist in this series—Muhammad Ali’s firm stance as a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War stripped him of his titles and license to box, forcing him to fight his way back to the top as Heavyweight Champion of the World at the Rumble in the Jungle. The well-known events depicted in each graphic novel are real, and while all the facts are accurate and the text in speech bubbles indicates historical quotes, many more quotes throughout are conjecture. As long as readers are here for infotainment, it’s a truly inviting series. VERDICT Inspiring sports stories? Score!
School Library Journal
