Wilner, Barry. Tom Brady.

Wilner, Barry. Tom Brady.
Enslow 2011 48p 23.93
978-0-7660-3773-1 Sports Stars Who Care VG-BNS

Tom Brady played at University of Michigan where he did not always get the opportunity to show his talent as quarterback, but then moved to the Patriots where he displaced the powerful Drew Bledsoe all-pro to become a world class quarterback.
This series ties together sports and community service, a wonderful blend for young readers today. Barry Wilner is a solid writer who writes a book that would serve both elementary school and middle school readers. His sentence style is characterized by exciting, upbeat descriptive text that shows Tom Brady in his glory. An over-the-top, stellar career has too many highlights to mention here, but suffice it to say that he led the New England Patriots to 3 Super Bowl championships in 4 tries. He has been a Super Bowl MVP, a league MVP and title-holder to the perfect season in 2007. Along with Peyton Manning, he is a top quarterback in the U. S. As if his football career isn’t enough, he shines in the area of community service as well! He donates his time, effort and money to a program entitled “One Laptop Per Child” which gives needy children in Uganda a chance to learn about the world, Best Buddies which raises money for mentally and physically challenged people, the World Wildlife Fund which promotes the earth and Goodwill in its service to homeless on Thanksgiving Day. Young readers are treated to outstanding support photographs which show Brady with two hats, as player and contributor to society. They are also treated to quality writing, well-organized information and authentic quotations about Brady’s successes. Please note that sources for each quotations are mentioned in the text, but no listing of chapter quotations exists. The book ends with a chart of career statistics, an address for eager young fans to contact Tom Brady, a glossary of vocabulary, a list of books and Internet sites to consult and an index. This series focuses on the careers of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Garnett, Peyton Manning, LeBron James, David Wright, & others. The first 5 chapters which deal with the star’s contribution on the playing field are followed by a chapter on the charities of focus of each star. One goal of all librarians is to promote reading among younger audiences, and this book will accomplish that goal. It is a good choice for the elementary, middle school and public library. Squaresky, Martha