Jose Altuve: Baseball Superstar tells the story of a baseball underdog whose small stature didn't keep him from winning multiple batting titles, the American League MVP Award, and the World Series with the Houston Astros. Features include a timeline, a glossary, further readings, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

This title tells the story of Major League Baseball, from its beginnings more than a century ago to its status today as the home of America's pastime. Readers will learn about the league's greatest stars, coaches, and dynasties, as well as the most iconic ballparks and sport-rocking scandals. Features include infographics, a glossary, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Serena Williams: Tennis Icon examines the life of the most successful female tennis player of the modern era, a woman who redefined greatness on the court while balancing a career in fashion design and raising a family. Features include a timeline, a glossary, further readings, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Patrick Mahomes: NFL Sensation takes a closer look at one of the NFL's brightest stars, the son of a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke records and blew away competitors during his first year as a starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Features include a timeline, a glossary, further readings, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Kylian Mbappe: World Soccer Sensation tells the story of the breakout player from the 2018 World Cup, a teenager who led France to the championship with his breathtaking speed and dynamic goal-scoring ability. Features include a timeline, a glossary, further readings, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

This biography of Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve will fascinate young baseball fans. Along with career highlights, readers will learn about Altuve's training routine and what he does outside of the stadium.

As a sixteen-year-old in Venezuela, José Altuve attended a tryout camp with the Houston Astros. The Astros rejected him because he was too short, but that didn’t break his spirit. He attended the tryout a year later and earned a minor-league contract with Houston. Just five-foot-five, Altuve has become a baseball phenomenon. He has played in four MLB All-Star Games and led the American League in hits, stolen bases, and batting average. In 2016, he even belted more than twenty home runs. Learn how Altuve overcame the odds in his first-ever biography. Full-color photographs and plenty of vibrant quotes bring his story into sharp focus.

Recent advances in baseball statistical analysis have made it possible to assess the totality of contribution each player makes to team success or failure. Using the metric Wins Above Average (WAA)--the number of wins that the 2016 Red Sox, for example, added because they had Mookie Betts in right field, instead of an average player--the author undertakes a fascinating review of major league baseball from 1901 through 2017. The great teams are analyzed, underscoring why they were successful. The great players of each generation are identified using simple, reliable metrics--from Ty Cobb through Mike Trout, and pitchers from Christy Mathewson to Clayton Kershaw. Surprises abound. The importance of pitching is found to be vastly exaggerated. Many Hall of Fame pitchers (and some hitters) achieved immortality almost entirely on the backs of their teammates, while a few over-qualified players still await induction. Focusing on today's rosters, the WAA assessment shows that the game is threatened by an unprecedented shortage of great players.

This newest edition to the long-running Everything Kids’ Baseball series updated with current information on the 2018 and 2019 baseball seasons, refreshed bios, and an expanded look at fantasy baseball is “everything you want in a kid’s book” (Associated Press). Now you can introduce young fans to the fun, action, and excitement of America’s favorite pastime with this all-inclusive, updated edition of The Everything Kids’ Baseball Book. Featuring dozens of puzzles and games, this edition has up-to-date stats for all of your favorite players and teams. Get to know the best star players today, learn the rules and history of the game, and start to develop your own baseball skills—from t-ball to the World Series—with this comprehensive guide to the entertaining world of baseball. Covering everything you need to know, this book is sure to be a grand slam for kids and parents alike!

Some athletes not only thrill their fans with their skill on the playing field but also inspire their followers by overcoming obstacles along the way. That combination has helped make such people icons in our culture. One of those great icons is baseball's Mookie Betts. The five-foot-nine Betts always displayed great athletic ability, but many considered him too small to climb up the sports ladder. However, Betts overcame those doubters to become one of his sport's best players. In 2018, he became the first ever American League player to win baseball's Most Valuable Player, Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, batting title, and World Series title in the same season. This biography tells the exciting story of the Boston Red Sox star, including the victory of his team in the 2018 World Series. This bio features stats, photographs, and the words of teammates, coaches, opponents, and Betts himself.