The Replay: 25 Greatest Moments in Sports, worldwide appeal play

There is a sport that no elementary school-aged kid likes. There is a sport that the vast majority of elementary school children like. There’s a sport somewhere that’s the official sport of a county or their national pastime. Some of these sports get more of the spotlight when the Olympics roll around, some have seasonal happenings and some of them have produced iconic images that folks around the globe will recognize. The Replay: 25 Greatest Moments in Sports is an illustrated book that looks at 25 specific instances in sports competitions that today’s elementary school students probably won’t know.

They will say that they know them, and they might know of some of the images or instances. These are cultural touchstones that will bubble up in their lives. Those kids that engage in the sport will know those instances. Soccer players will know about the penalty kick done by Brandi Chastain in 1999. American football fans might know about the famous touchdown pass from Joe Montana to Dwight Clark. Folks in the U.K. or India will recall the stories that they’ve heard about M. S. Dhoni connecting when he was at bat to propel India to the top in 2011.

Simon Biles, Usain Bolt, Ma Long, Jonnie Peacock, Lewis Hamilton, and many other names are profiled too. It’s the format of the book that grades three through five will really relate to and enjoy. Each personality or team is profiled over a two-page spread that’s very heavy on illustrations and captions. There are only two paragraphs of text on the page and is done to provide a big overview of the person, sport, or time frame.

The rest of the page space is action and captions. You’ll see an illustration of Jessie Owens getting low to start his sprint, bolting down the lane, touching the contact board for just a second, and then zooming through the air over 26 feet. Owens’ historic long jump was only half of the story. His performance in the 1936 Olympics was an affront to the Nazi Party and flew in the face of Hitler’s racist ideology. The legacy of his athleticism was equaled by the social statement that he made through his abilities.

That lesson is artfully told in The Replay in a manner that fourth graders will be able to restate for their essays. Those fifth graders who need multiple sources will eagerly use this as one of theirs. Those elementary school students who like to look at cool pictures, enjoy sports, have discovered the love of reading, or want to experience a five-minute sports adventure will like it too.

The Replay can be a read-along book. One can easily see reading a story or two to youth as a bedtime story. Between the illustrations, the way that the text sets up the scene and it follows a traditional arc you’ll have all of the elements of a complete story. Those ages that are able to read on their own will have the same enjoyment when they follow along as they discover older stories, like from the 1960s when Arielle Goitschel won gold in 1968 in the slalom. It’s good when kids can learn history and sports history is a great way to put things into perspective. Kids also learn in different ways and The Replay will engage those readers who prioritize sports but are able to read while being a joy of a book for those who don’t mind digging into words.

The Replay: 25 Greatest Moments in Sports is by Adam Skinner with illustrations by Mai Ly Deganan and is available on Magic Cat Publishing, an imprint of Abrams Books.

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