Nonfiction Tennis book

Little People, BIG DREAMS (44)

Publisher’s Description

Evonne grew up on a hot, dusty farm in Australia. She was the third of eight children, and descendant of the Wirundjuri people, who have lived on the land for more than 60,000 years. Her talent for tennis was discovered at a local tennis club, and before she knew it, the girl dreaming about the place called “Wimbledon” was playing on center court. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the brilliant tennis player’s life.

Details (book available March 3, 2020)

My Thoughts

This series focuses on inspirational women with dreams. The board books, of course, offer simple messages. While the hardcover versions are slightly more advanced.

This book is about the dreams that come true regarding the tennis champion from Australia. Evonne Goolagong’s love for tennis and desire to succeed led her to become the number one tennis player in the world.

What Concerned Me

Though I love the series, this book left me with some concerns. I tried to read it with a young mind. When I did, the sentences felt too long, and the content jumped quickly from place to place.

It tells that Evonne left home to learn more about tennis. Was she a child? A teenager? The illustration doesn’t help with that question.

In a sentence that is 28 words long, it points out that she discovered a story about a tennis player. The player was in a place called Wimbledon in England and won on its magical center court. Is it just me, or would a child wonder what a “magical center court” is? (My child mind visualized a unicorn on the court.) Okay, maybe I was feeling too child-like, but it was my first thought.

The story felt a bit too shallow and not up to par with the others in the series.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for the ability to review and give my opinion of this eARC book.

What I Liked

The information provided at the end of the book is extremely helpful. It fills in the blanks that the book skips over. I’m sure it’s intended to help the adult be able to read and tell the story more fully. And I do like that the series always includes this information.

About the Author

Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director in constant search of new concepts for children’s books. Working for more than fifteen years for clients in top advertising agencies, her books combine creativity with learning, aiming to establish a new and fresh relationship between children and pop culture. 



~Let's Share Thoughts~