Sidney Crosby. (Superstars!). Kylie Burns. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2013. 32 pp., pbk., hc., pdf & html, $9.95 (pbk.) $20.76 (RLB.). ISBN 978-0-7787-0068-5 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-0038-8 (RLB.), ISBN 978-1-4271-9386-5 (pdf), ISBN 978-1-4271-9380-3 (html). Subject Headings: Crosby, Sidney-Juvenile literature. Hockey players-Canada-Biography-Juvenile literature. Grades 3 and up / Ages 8 and up. Review by Dave Jenkinson. ** /4

excerpt:

Overcoming Obstacles When Sidney began playing competitive ice hockey, it became difficult for his family to pay for equipment and travel expenses. Instead of giving up on hockey, Sidney’s mom Trina took a second job. With the extra money she earned, Sidney’s parents could afford to provide their son with the opportunities that helped shape him into the star player he is today.

As the series’ title indicates, books in Crabtree’s “Superstars!” series focus on individuals or groups who are high-profile performers in their fields of endeavor. However, don’t expect to see scientists, historians, archeologists or the like being profiled in this series. All of the superstars are part of the world of entertainment, with “entertainment” being understood in the broadest sense, including those who are seen acting on the big and small screen, making and performing music, or playing a professional sport. Not surprisingly, virtually all of the books in the series have featured Americans, and the only two Canadian to have been included in the series prior to Sidney Crosby, Justin Bieber and Steve Nash, like Crosby achieved their principal professional fame south of 49.

     As is the case with most biographies for the young, Sidney Crosby is quite laudatory in tone and employs a largely chronological approach. The relatively brief text is most generously illustrated with colour photos and supplemented by text boxes which add additional information. For example, a text box headed “What’s in a Number?” explains:

Sidney wears the number 87 on his jersey. He picked the number because it had a special meaning: “8" is the month he was born (August), and “7" is the day, in the year 1987!

     The book’s concluding section includes a one-page "Timeline" that begins with Crosby’s birth on August 7, 1987, and ends with the Pittsburgh Penguins’ semi-final loss to the Boston Bruins in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. Sixteen terms that had appeared in the main text in bold are then defined in a one-page "Glossary" while a "Find Out More" page lists four books and three websites. The final page contains an "Index" and very brief biographical information about the author.

     In the short term, the contents of Sidney Crosby will be of interest to hockey fans, especially with the forthcoming Winter Olympics, since, barring injury, Crosby will undoubtedly be part of Canada’s Olympic hockey team.

Recommended.

Dave Jenkinson, CM's editor, lives in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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