P is for Putt: A Golf Alphabet (Sports Alphabet)
Gr. 3-6. Golf is a fast-growing sport among young people, but there are far fewer books about it than about perennial favorites such as baseball. The format, which uses the alphabet to lead into interesting information, is clunky, and the singsong rhymes may turn off older readers. But Herzog manages to introduce an enormous amount of information in short, effective bites of text. "M is for the Masters, / where top pros try to hack it. / The winner of this magic major / gets a cool green jacket" may not be particularly lyrical, but an accompanying paragraph contains a history of the Masters Tournament, notes recent winners, and briefly tells the story behind the green jacket. Additional paragraphs explain mulligans and miniature golf. Langton's oil paintings, which usually take up two-thirds of a page, are large and lovely, and they give a sense of the enthusiasm and skill synonymous with the sport.Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved