Books in Matt Christopher Sports Bio Bookshelf series

Kobe Bryant may be one of the youngest basketball players in the NBA, but no one would dare call him inexperienced. The son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean: Bryant, Kobe spent his childhood watching professional basketball. From the moment he could handle a ball, he was learning to dribble and shoot. At age eighteen he was given the chance to prove his stuff when he was drafted into the NBA. Fresh out of high school, Kobe showed he had the talent and the heart to make it in the pros.

Outstanding. Unbelievable. Mindblowing. These are just a few of the words used to describe the talents of LeBron James. He was a sensation in his early days playing AAU ball in Akron, Ohio-and continued to amaze through his four years as a high school phenomenon. Now going into his fifth year as a star of the Cleveland Cavaliers, he is touted as the best player in basketball today. And for good reason: his dunks are monstrous, his no-look passes are things of beauty, his three-pointers seem effortless. But even more importantly, he is that one-of-a-kind superstar whose main goal isn't to rack up the stats-it's to make his team better.

THE HOCKEY MACHINE Can Steve escape his kidnappers? After leading his hockey team to victory one afternoon, Steve Crandall accepts a ride home in the limousine of an avid fan his own age. Steve is surprised to learn that his fan is a multimillionaire and boy genius, but even more startling is the rich kid's proposal that Steve play center on his professional junior hockey team. Before Steve can respond or even consult his parents, he is flown to the team headquarters-where he soon discovers he's the multimillionaire's prisoner!