The Origins of Sports

Selected for the Spring 2023 Showcase: Spring Into a New You by The Children's Book Council.

"The vocabulary and print are for older children, but would be a good book to sit together and read and enjoy. The history is very impressive, and adults will certainly learn a lot, too, about how each sport evolved. This was a nice comprehensive large book with sections about athletics, skating, ice hockey, golf, football, tennis, basketball, swimming, skiing, and baseball. Sports books are always a nice addition to a collection, and this covers an area that most will not have for the younger set." —Lynne Wright, Oregon Coast Youth Book Review

"Not your typical book about sports, this delightful non-fiction picture book is packed with research that most will not have seen before. I consider myself a sports nut, and I learned a bunch from this book, including that volleyball was created in Massachusetts!" —The Silver Unicorn Bookstore

"Kids are often growing up surrounded by different kinds of sport activities. Let it be active or passive. It doesn't matter if you (and your kids) are skiing down the hill or you are just watching sport on TV, you can love the sport anyway. And this apllies also for: athletics, skating, ice hockey, golf, football, tennis, basketball, swimming, and baseball. Read about these ten popular sports and explore how they developed during the centuries." —Helen Wu IG

"What kind of books do you get the sporty kids? The ones who would rather be out running around than sitting and reading? Well, how about this one for starters? I love that this gets into the origin of sports, not only as a whole, but also individual sports - everything from skiing to tennis, football to baseball. While I see a good number of books about athletes, I feel like I don’t see as many in the nonfiction space talking about sports, so this was a welcome addition to our shelf." —Picturebook Playdate IG

"Have you ever thought about the origin of your favorite sport? Here is a phenomenonal book to help young sports enthusiasts discover the history behind their favorite activities! [. . .] I loved sharing this story with my kids today. I couldn't get enough of the illustrations. Tennis is big in my house, so seeing the tennis rackets of the past was just so neat. The kids have done history projects on gymnastics and dance in recent years. I see another sports history project in their future! They've definitively been inspired!" —Fun Reads for Kids IG

"With its modern graphic design and engaging storytelling, this book not only educates but also entertains. It's a fantastic resource for sports enthusiasts and curious minds alike, presenting an entertaining blend of information and humor." —Read with a Rescue IG