Dwight Howard.

Torres, John Albert.  Dwight Howard.  Enslow    2014  48p   $17.95  ISBN 978-0-7660-4294-0  elem/ms  series: Sports Stars Who Care  Sports biography  VG-BN  

Dwight Howard is as devoted to his off-court charity work as he is to his on-court game.  One of the current dominant big men in the NBA, Howard was raised by his parents to live clean, work hard and show compassion for others.  The book traces his rise to NBA success from being the number one draft pick out of high school in 2004 through his time with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers.  His basketball experiences are intertwined with the many charities he has been involved with in communities where he has lived as well as his international Dwight Howard Fund to help at-risk children.  The value of this book is that it gives equal measure to the athlete’s actions on and off the court, demonstrating the impact that one can have with the financial and social ability to help others.  The book includes color photographs on almost every page, showing Howard in both the basketball and charity worlds.  Career statistics through the 2012-13 season, an address to write Howard, a glossary, an index and lists for further reading (books and web sites) are included.

The Sports Stars Who Care series highlights role model athletes who work hard and participate in charity work in their respective communities.  This easy-to-read series filled with pictures is a top selection for reluctant readers. 

Summary: The career and charity work of basketball player Dwight Howard are profiled. Grades 4-7.    

Basketball biography, Charity work                    --Stephanie Pennucci

Torres, J. Batman Versus the Yeti.

Torres, J.  Batman Versus the Yeti.  Capstone/Stone Arch    2013  32p   ISBN 978-1-43442-4708-7  series: Batman: The Brave and The Bold  elem  Hardback  VG  Graphic novels     

With crisp, colorful illustrations and conversations that are well reflected in the illustrations, this book will appeal to fans of superheroes.  Batman joins forces with Asian superheroes to battle the Yeti living in the mountains and rescues a superhero who has morphed into a Yeti. An addendum explains The Great Ten, the Asian superheroes, and includes information on creators of the graphic novel and a glossary. A two-page spread encourages readers to go beyond just reading the graphic novel and look carefully at the illustrations and their impact on the story -- how thought and conversation bubbles speed or slow the story and how illustrations enhance the text.     

The series Batman: The Brave and The Bold is comprised of four different adventures about Batman and his friends.  Crisp, colorful illustrations and sometimes humorous text will entertain elementary-age readers who love a superhero graphic novel. Grades 3-5.  It is recommended wherever superhero graphic novels are needed. 

Summary: In vocabulary appropriate for upper elementary-school students, Batman encounters the Yeti, fierce huge creatures of the mountains, with the help of Asian superheroes.  A graphic novel that will appeal to fans of superheroes. Grades 3-5.     

Graphic novels, Superheroes-Fiction                         --Lois McNicol