Sports Star Champions

Derek Jeter stood at the plate with the count full, anticipating the next pitch. With a mighty wallop, he smashed the ball over the left-center field fence. Home run, but this was not an ordinary home run. It was hit number 3,000 for the New York Yankees shortstop. This is just one of many milestones Derek Jeter has achieved during his remarkable career. The Captain has led the Yankees to five World Series titles and has won several individual awards. Author Ken Rappoport details the amazing career of this baseball champion.

Kids know Aaron Rodgers as one of the NFL's best quarterbacks. He has won two NFL MVP Awards and led the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl title. He has orchestrated several "miracle" finishes, and he's the highest-rated passer in NFL history. In this book, kids will get to know Rodgers on a personal level. They'll see how he rose from a little-known QB at Butte Community College to a passing machine in Green Bay. Off the field, Rodgers impresses with his compassion, intelligence, and sidesplitting humor. Engaging text-peppered with quotes-and high-impact photos accentuate the experience.

Before he was an NBA superstar, Kevin Durant was a kid who loved playing basketball. Durant grew up to be the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. After a season in which he won NBA Rookie of the Year, his team moved to Oklahoma City, where Durant led the Thunder to the NBA Finals in 2012. This book takes readers through Durant's impressive career, including scoring titles, All-Star games, and winning the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award in 2014. Full-color photographs show Durant on and off the court, giving readers a look at the life of one of basketball's best. Easy-to follow text and a high-interest topic are ideal for reluctant readers. A glossary helps strengthen vocabulary, while the Further Reading section encourages further exploration.

When the game is on the line and time is running out, there's one quarterback who always leads his team to victory: Peyton Manning. The Colts' superstar has been thrilling football fans for many years. He is the prototype quarterback. Big and strong, he shreds defenses with his powerful arm and deadly accuracy. And nobody works harder than Peyton Manning. Throughout his career, Manning has compiled Hall-of-Fame statistics and individual awards, but he is most proud to be called a Superbowl champion. Author Ken Rappoport highlights the career of this gridiron great.

Alex Rodriguez unleashed a powerful swing, launching the ball over the center-field fence. New York Yankees fans erupted, rocking the stadium. Home run. Although A-Rod had peppered the seats with hundreds of home runs during his career, this long ball was special. Rodriguez became the youngest player in major-league history to reach 600 home runs. In a career full of incredible feats, A-Rod has slugged his way into the record books. From his home run heroics to his World Series championship, author Ken Rappoport highlights the career of this baseball superstar.

Why is Kevin Garnett called the Big Ticket? He certainly is big, seven feet tall, but his amazing ability and presence on the court truly explains his nickname. For every fan who buys a ticket to see him play, Garnett always delivers a superstar performance. In his spectacular career, Garnett has won MVP trophies and other individual awards, but his NBA championship ring is most important to him. The team has always come first for KG. Author Stew Thornley explores the exciting career of this basketball champion.

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.

Kobe Bryant is an unstoppable scorer. He can swish shots from long range or drive to the basket for a vicious dunk. Bryant once scored 81 points in a single game. He can also dish it to his teammates, rip down rebounds, or play lockdown defense. Despite all these amazing skills, one word describes him the best: champion. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar has won five NBA titles since coming out of high school, and he has earned many individual awards. Author Stew Thornley highlights the all-time great career of this basketball champion.

Tim Duncan is a dominant player. He can score against the best opponents with a flurry of strong moves near the basket, or he can step outside and bury his classic bank shot. On defense, he controls the paint. He blocks shots and corrals rebounds. Tim Duncan can do it all on the court. And all he does is win. Since joining the San Antonio Spurs in 1997, Duncan has led the team to four NBA championships and twelve straight fifty-win seasons. Author Stew Thornley explores the spectacular career of this all-time great champion.

Regarded by many to be the next great international soccer player, the young Neymar is already being compared to legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Through easy-to-read text and full-color photos, readers can follow his meteoric rise through the ranks of international soccer, culminating with an Olympic gold medal in the 2016 games. A glossary helps readers learn new vocabulary, while a Further Reading section encourages further exploration.

When Ronda Rousey approached the president of the UFC and told him that one day she would fight for him, he was skeptical. Rousey made a name for herself as the youngest judoka and a force to be reckoned with when she qualified for the 2004 Olympics at the age of seventeen. Through a combination of determination and hard work, Rousey went on to become the first UFC women's bantamweight champion. With easy-to-follow text and full-color photos, readers will learn about Rousey's life and the challenges she has overcome. Sidebars help readers learn more about the sport. A glossary helps reader's master new vocabulary, while Further Reading encourages further exploration.

Even though he was born with an otherworldly athletic gift, Cristiano Ronaldo's early life was anything but easy. A poor kid from Portugal, he was expelled from school at age fourteen and then diagnosed with an abnormal heart condition. Through hard work and an intense desire to succeed, he soon blossomed into one of the greatest soccer players in the world. When he transferred to Real Madrid for a record-breaking salary, Ronaldo transformed himself into a worldwide celebrity, reinventing the ideal of an international sports icon. Sports fans will be inspired by this soccer superstar's rags-to-riches story.