Kid Athletes: True Tales Of Childhood From Sports Legends
Hardcover | Kindle Edition
Written by David Stabler
Illustrated by Doogie Horner
Quirk Books
Release Date: November 17th, 2015

Did you know that Danica Patrick started her racing career in a go-kart? Or that Peyton Manning was a master tango dancer? George “Babe” Ruth got into so much trouble, his parents gave him away. Did you know he grew up in reform school? No? Well these legends were once kids, just like all of us. Some were poor, some were picked on, some were too small or too tall, and some were not believed in. But all overcame their circumstances to become legends, and have quirky little stories of when they were young.

Author David Stabler and illustrator Doogie Horner bring you Kid Athletes: True Tales Of Childhood From Sports Legends, the follow-up to their Kid Presidents.

This book, like its predecessor, is utterly enjoyable. Perfect for the adolescent set, these inspiring stories mix fun and non-fiction. The illustrations all have funny little captions. I caught myself going back to give those another look. Best of all, these tales of childhood, while they may not be exactly similar in content, all have the common theme of anyone can grow up to be a star athlete. And it’s true. These biographical snippets connect to the inherent uniqueness of kids.

Some other tidbits:

– One of Babe Ruth’s duties was to stitch shirt collars.

– Jackie Robinson started out in a gang.

– Bobby Orr dug through mud to get worms to sell to fishermen. Ewww!!!

– Tiger Woods sunk a putt on television when he was 2-years-old.

– Bruce Lee mastered martial arts so quickly because of dance lessons.

And much more!

Definitely pick up a copy of Kid Athletes, as well as the first one, Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America’s Presidents. They are both worth the read for you and your kids!

Official book synopsis:

The author and illustrator of Kid Presidents have reteamed to share 20 true tales from the childhoods of famous athletes. From Babe Ruth (so incorrigible that his parents put him in reform school at age 7) to Muhammad Ali (who learned to fight at age 12 after a thief stole his bicycle), Kid Athletes is packed with inspirational stories from the world of sports. Billie Jean King rose from modest circumstances to win 39 Grand Slam championships; race car champion Danica Patrick fended of bullies who told her “girls can’t drive”; and martial arts legend Bruce Lee credited his success, in part, to childhood dance lessons. Every goal, touchdown, and championship comes to life in these kid-friendly and relatable stories, all with Doogie Horner’s whimsical full-color illustrations. Kid Athletes is a slam dunk for young sports fans everywhere.

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