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Not Playing by the Rules: 21 Female Athletes Who Changed Sports
This powerful and inspiring collection features 21 female trailblazers in their sport, perfect for fans of Women in Sports and Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls!
Before girls wore pants or women were permitted to swim in bathing suits at public beaches, who paved the way for women in sports? And who's breaking new ground today?
This anthology introduces 21 trailblazing women who have broken through the boundaries set for female athletes. From basketball slam-dunker Lisa Leslie to tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, whose father had onlookers jeer at and taunt the girls as they practiced, to Paralympian Tatyana McFadden, who was a speed demon even at her Russian orphanage before she was adopted, to Olympic gold medalist Ethelda Bleibtrey, who was led off to jail when she shed her shoes and stockings to swim in public, Not Playing by the Rules inspires, informs, and illustrates the strength, determination, and accomplishments of women athletes both yesterday and today.
With powerful photographs and hand-lettered, inspirational quotes from the athletes themselves, this is a collection every young girl should own.
The featured athletes include Ethelda Bleibtrey, Bobbi Gibb, Althea Gibson, Gabby Douglas, Flo Hyman, Lisa Leslie, Mia Hamm, Tatyana McFadden, Mo'ne Davis, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Diana Golden, Constance Applebee, Lizzie Arlington, Babe Didrikson, Alice Coachman, Joy Johnson, Nancy Lieberman, Nadia Comăneci, Venus and Serena Williams, and Yusra Mardini.
Before girls wore pants or women were permitted to swim in bathing suits at public beaches, who paved the way for women in sports? And who's breaking new ground today?
This anthology introduces 21 trailblazing women who have broken through the boundaries set for female athletes. From basketball slam-dunker Lisa Leslie to tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, whose father had onlookers jeer at and taunt the girls as they practiced, to Paralympian Tatyana McFadden, who was a speed demon even at her Russian orphanage before she was adopted, to Olympic gold medalist Ethelda Bleibtrey, who was led off to jail when she shed her shoes and stockings to swim in public, Not Playing by the Rules inspires, informs, and illustrates the strength, determination, and accomplishments of women athletes both yesterday and today.
With powerful photographs and hand-lettered, inspirational quotes from the athletes themselves, this is a collection every young girl should own.
The featured athletes include Ethelda Bleibtrey, Bobbi Gibb, Althea Gibson, Gabby Douglas, Flo Hyman, Lisa Leslie, Mia Hamm, Tatyana McFadden, Mo'ne Davis, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Diana Golden, Constance Applebee, Lizzie Arlington, Babe Didrikson, Alice Coachman, Joy Johnson, Nancy Lieberman, Nadia Comăneci, Venus and Serena Williams, and Yusra Mardini.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published April 21, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 6, 2022
A lot of great women athletes from around the world. Some of whom were the first to achieve in their respective sport.
June 26, 2020
In 1901 when Constance Applebee, new to the U.S. from England, "discovered that musical chairs and drop the handkerchief were the main sports offered for female students at American colleges...She took a stand. 'We play those games at parties. For exercise, we play hockey.'" And so she did -- until she was 97 years old!!!
Read this in one sitting. Cline-Ransome's story telling is compelling and the range of strong women you meet as a reader is wide and diverse. In 1901 Applebee's obstacle was society's expectations of women. In 2015, Yusra Mardini's was keeping a dinghy full of refugees from sinking as they escaped the Syrian civil war and crossed the Aegean sea to Greece. Seriously, these women were/are amazing.
The layout and design - two colorful pages for each woman including a photo with an inspiring quote in large colorful print- will appeal to our students in grades 3-7.
WISH - I watched a video of the author talking about the book and reading aloud the passages about three or four of the women. I'd wondered if the inspiring "quotes" (placed strategically on each full page photo) were actually quotes from these women but it's hard to tell for sure. There are no quotation marks and no sources cited. The way Cline-Ransome read it aloud, saying "Here is Constance again" before she read the quote on Constance Applebee's page, made it sound like they are quotes. (The quote for Lizzie Arlington is a bit confusing, too - "She goes in to win every time" - did she say this or did someone else say this about her?)
WISH - The back matter is a few pages with extra details about each athlete (including that Babe Didrikson Zaharias, famous for playing golf, "was known to hold racist and anti-Semitic views...even as she forged new paths for women in sports") but no author's note. I really enjoyed hearing Cline-Ransome's description (in the video) of why she decided to write this book (she has published several books about male sports figures) and how she became interested in this topic. Wish she'd shared this in an author's note--our students as researchers/writers would be inspired!!!
Read this in one sitting. Cline-Ransome's story telling is compelling and the range of strong women you meet as a reader is wide and diverse. In 1901 Applebee's obstacle was society's expectations of women. In 2015, Yusra Mardini's was keeping a dinghy full of refugees from sinking as they escaped the Syrian civil war and crossed the Aegean sea to Greece. Seriously, these women were/are amazing.
The layout and design - two colorful pages for each woman including a photo with an inspiring quote in large colorful print- will appeal to our students in grades 3-7.
WISH - I watched a video of the author talking about the book and reading aloud the passages about three or four of the women. I'd wondered if the inspiring "quotes" (placed strategically on each full page photo) were actually quotes from these women but it's hard to tell for sure. There are no quotation marks and no sources cited. The way Cline-Ransome read it aloud, saying "Here is Constance again" before she read the quote on Constance Applebee's page, made it sound like they are quotes. (The quote for Lizzie Arlington is a bit confusing, too - "She goes in to win every time" - did she say this or did someone else say this about her?)
WISH - The back matter is a few pages with extra details about each athlete (including that Babe Didrikson Zaharias, famous for playing golf, "was known to hold racist and anti-Semitic views...even as she forged new paths for women in sports") but no author's note. I really enjoyed hearing Cline-Ransome's description (in the video) of why she decided to write this book (she has published several books about male sports figures) and how she became interested in this topic. Wish she'd shared this in an author's note--our students as researchers/writers would be inspired!!!
May 18, 2020
Ever since Constance Applebee brought field hockey for women to Harvard in 1901, athletic women have been blazing trails, being the first to break into men only sports, and crossing age, race and ability barriers. Each athlete has a 2 page spread - a full page picture with a inspirational quote, and a full page bio/historical contribution. Like Ethelda Bleibtrey who was arrested twice for swimming nude (because she took off her stockings to swim); Nadia Comaneci, first to receive a perfect score in Olympic Gymnastics; Joy Johnson who started running marathons after she retired and continued until age 86; Mia Hamm, soccer sensation; and Ibtihaj Muhammad - first Muslim American to wear hijab while competing for the US Olympic team.
I really liked this collected biography - it is a great spring board to build interest in an individual and inspire research to learn more about them. I loved the quotes - it reminded me of the teen magazines of the 70s where you could take out the page and put it on your wall. The text is engaging with lots of good information about each woman. Includes an appendix with "just a little bit more" about each athlete.
For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebook.blogspot.com
I really liked this collected biography - it is a great spring board to build interest in an individual and inspire research to learn more about them. I loved the quotes - it reminded me of the teen magazines of the 70s where you could take out the page and put it on your wall. The text is engaging with lots of good information about each woman. Includes an appendix with "just a little bit more" about each athlete.
For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebook.blogspot.com
July 2, 2020
This book features a full-page photograph of the athlete in question alongside a full-page telling of what that person did to change sports. It is a fast read with interesting information. Good for a book talk to 5th grade reluctant readers.
Book Description:
Before girls wore pants or women were permitted to swim in bathing suits at public beaches, who paved the way for women in sports? And who's breaking new ground today?
This anthology introduces 21 trailblazing women who have broken through the boundaries set for female athletes. From basketball slam-dunker Lisa Leslie to tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, whose father had onlookers jeer at and taunt the girls as they practiced, to Paralympian Tatyana McFadden, who was a speed demon even at her Russian orphanage before she was adopted, to Olympic gold medalist Ethelda Bleibtrey, who was led off to jail when she shed her shoes and stockings to swim in public, Not Playing by the Rules inspires, informs, and illustrates the strength, determination, and accomplishments of women athletes both yesterday and today.
With powerful photographs and hand-lettered, inspirational quotes from the athletes themselves, this is a collection every young girl should own.
The featured athletes include Ethelda Bleibtrey, Bobbi Gibb, Althea Gibson, Gabby Douglas, Flo Hyman, Lisa Leslie, Mia Hamm, Tatyana McFadden, Mo'ne Davis, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Diana Golden, Constance Applebee, Lizzie Arlington, Babe Didrikson, Alice Coachman, Joy Johnson, Nancy Lieberman, Nadia Comaneci, Venus and Serena Williams, and Yusra Mardini.
Book Description:
Before girls wore pants or women were permitted to swim in bathing suits at public beaches, who paved the way for women in sports? And who's breaking new ground today?
This anthology introduces 21 trailblazing women who have broken through the boundaries set for female athletes. From basketball slam-dunker Lisa Leslie to tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, whose father had onlookers jeer at and taunt the girls as they practiced, to Paralympian Tatyana McFadden, who was a speed demon even at her Russian orphanage before she was adopted, to Olympic gold medalist Ethelda Bleibtrey, who was led off to jail when she shed her shoes and stockings to swim in public, Not Playing by the Rules inspires, informs, and illustrates the strength, determination, and accomplishments of women athletes both yesterday and today.
With powerful photographs and hand-lettered, inspirational quotes from the athletes themselves, this is a collection every young girl should own.
The featured athletes include Ethelda Bleibtrey, Bobbi Gibb, Althea Gibson, Gabby Douglas, Flo Hyman, Lisa Leslie, Mia Hamm, Tatyana McFadden, Mo'ne Davis, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Diana Golden, Constance Applebee, Lizzie Arlington, Babe Didrikson, Alice Coachman, Joy Johnson, Nancy Lieberman, Nadia Comaneci, Venus and Serena Williams, and Yusra Mardini.
July 4, 2020
Not Playing By the Rules : 21 Female Athletes Who Changed Sports by Lesa Cline-Ransome, 48 pages. NON-FICTION Penguin Random House, 2020. $19.
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Ever since Constance Applebee brought field hockey for women to Harvard in 1901, athletic women have been blazing trails, being the first to break into men only sports, and crossing age, race and ability barriers. Each athlete has a 2 page spread - a full page picture with a inspirational quote, and a full page bio/historical contribution. Like Ethelda Bleibtrey who was arrested twice for swimming nude (because she took off her stockings to swim); Nadia Comaneci, first to receive a perfect score in Olympic Gymnastics; Joy Johnson who started running marathons after she retired and continued until age 86; Mia Hamm, soccer sensation; and Ibtihaj Muhammad - first Muslim American to wear hijab while competing for the US Olympic team.
I really liked this collected biography - it is a great spring board to build interest in an individual and inspire research to learn more about them. I loved the quotes - it reminded me of the teen magazines of the 70s where you could take out the page and put it on your wall. The text is engaging with lots of good information about each woman. Includes an appendix with "just a little bit more" about each athlete.
Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Ever since Constance Applebee brought field hockey for women to Harvard in 1901, athletic women have been blazing trails, being the first to break into men only sports, and crossing age, race and ability barriers. Each athlete has a 2 page spread - a full page picture with a inspirational quote, and a full page bio/historical contribution. Like Ethelda Bleibtrey who was arrested twice for swimming nude (because she took off her stockings to swim); Nadia Comaneci, first to receive a perfect score in Olympic Gymnastics; Joy Johnson who started running marathons after she retired and continued until age 86; Mia Hamm, soccer sensation; and Ibtihaj Muhammad - first Muslim American to wear hijab while competing for the US Olympic team.
I really liked this collected biography - it is a great spring board to build interest in an individual and inspire research to learn more about them. I loved the quotes - it reminded me of the teen magazines of the 70s where you could take out the page and put it on your wall. The text is engaging with lots of good information about each woman. Includes an appendix with "just a little bit more" about each athlete.
Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...
April 18, 2020
Accompanied by full-page photographs of each woman, this book highlights the contributions of 21 female athletes who broke the rules and often changed public perceptions about girls could do. Starting with Constance Applebee and her involvement with field hockey and concluding with pitcher Mo'ne Davis, the book traces important historical moments in women's sports. There is much to be inspired by here as readers can find athletes from many sports, including soccer, basketball, swimming, track and field, and gymnastics represented in its pages. And for those who might think it's too late for them to become athletes, the story of Joy Johnson, who started walking, jogging, and then running in marathons at the tender age of 59, eventually running in 25 marathons in New York City. I appreciated the diversity of the profiles and the representation of so many sports. If I were to add anything to the stories, it might be a little more detail on some of the challenges these women overcame and what kept them going. Still, to read these profiles is to realize just how far women's sports and being physically active have come. This accessible collection would be a good addition for classroom and school libraries because of its contents but also because it is sure to inspire curious readers to want to learn more about these incredible ground-breakers. The cockiness and all-around athleticism of someone like Babe Didrikson Zaharias is something about which to marvel.
January 31, 2021
4.5 stars for this book that sheds light on many remarkable women athletes
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews