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Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williama

At age four Venus Williams showed a remarkable talent for tennis, and her little sister Serena was not far behind. Six days a week, the girls trained at a broken- down tennis court near their home in Compton. With their father’s coaching, they became stronger and faster. He had them throw footballs to improve their serves and take track and ballet to increase their speed and agility. He even paid neighbors to jeer from the stands, knowing that they would likely face taunting on the professional circuit because they were Black. By the time they were young teens, they’d already gone pro and quickly worked their way up until they were ranked one and two in the world. This forceful account of the tennis champions’ triumphs and challenges, and their lives on and off the court, is brightly illustrated with cut paper, pencil, and acrylic paints. ©2019 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

Illustrated by James E. Ransome

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 7-10
Age Range: PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7) Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format: Picture book
Subjects: African Americans Families Girls and Women Perseverance Racism Sports
Diversity subject: Black/African

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publish Year: 2018
Pages: 44
ISBN: 9781481476843

CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 796 Cline-Ransome