Books in Sports Alphabet series

The sounds of autumn include the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot and the thump of the kickoff starting the first home football game. Sleeping Bear Press is proud to continue our bestselling sports series with Tis for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet. Sports writer Brad Herzog's easy-to-read-aloud rhymes engage even the youngest of readers, while hardcore fans can devour the detailed expository that covers the sport of the pigskin, from A-Z and end zone to end zone. Plays and players are just a few of the topics covered. Brad Herzog's first job as a newspaper sports reporter allowed him to travel with the Cornell University football team. He has been writing about the game ever since. A past Grand Gold Medal Award winner from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Brad has written more than a dozen fiction and nonfiction children's books. Brad lives on California's Monterey Peninsula. Mark Braught's sixteen years of professional experience has earned him prestigious awards from The American Advertising Federation (ADDY), Communications Art, the NYArt Directors Club, and the Society of Illustrators, to name a few. He lives in Commerce, Georgia. Touchdown is his third book with Sleeping Bear Press.

From the first jump ball and its humble beginnings at a YMCA with a couple of peach baskets, to the final buzzer and the glam of an NBA slam, basketball bounces onto your bookshelves with J is For Jump Shot. As with the other Sleeping Bear sports titles (7 titles and over 400,000 in print) it is the perfect introduction to the game. Whether reluctant or voracious, readers will be entertained as they learn the rules, fundamentals, famous players and plays. Young fans and old will find nothing but net with Mark Braught's dynamic illustrations as their many questions are answered -- What was the role of Dr. James Naismith in developing the game? Why do referees sometimes place their palm on their head? And who scored more points than any other NBA player? Mike Ulmer has written several books for Sleeping Bear Press including H is for Horse: An Equestrian Alphabet. He lives in Hamilton, Ontario. Mark Braught illustrated last fall's Sleeping Bear Sport title T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet. He lives outside Atlanta, Georgia.

Author Brad Herzog brings his well-received prose and soccer knowledge together with Melanie Rose's charming and realistic illustrations to detail every facet of the game. Each letter has a simple rhyme for young readers: "J is for the Jerseys that soccer players wear. But often in the World Cup, opponents tend to share. In a gesture of respect after a game ends, They simply swap their jerseys as if they are old friends." For older readers the expository text gives specific details about goaltending, referees, the World Cup, and many other aspects. K is for Kick follows the wildly popular Z is for Zamboni.

Four-time World Champion and professional figure skater Kurt Browning replaces his boots and blades with pen and paper in A is for Axel: An Ice Skating Alphabet. From holding an edge to laces and hooks, Kurt glides and dances through the alphabet explaining the history, techniques, and memorable moments of the sport. Spirited illustrator Melanie Rose captures the excitement visually with her colorful, playful illustrations. With the Winter Olympics spinning our way in 2006, this book will have fans young and old dreaming of gold. Author Kurt Browning is known for his fluid movement and confidence on the ice. A four-time world champion, Kurt is the first figure skater to be named as Canada's outstanding male athlete. He presently skates professionally with Stars on Ice and lives in Toronto, Ontario with his wife and son. Illustrator Melanie Rose's charming and lively oil paintings have graced the pages of several Sleeping Bear Press titles including Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphabet; H is for Homerun: A Baseball Alphabet; and W is for Wind: A Weather Alphabet. She makes her home in Mississauga, Canada, with her son Liam and their two cats, Mickey and Meesha.

Fore! Lookout for the latest shot from the Sleeping Bear Press sports title: P is for Putt: A Golf Alphabet. Look no further than the ever-growing popularity of Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie to see that golf is a sure-fire hit in the hearts of youngsters. And adults! This fun and educational ABC book takes a look at golf's illustrious history and stars in easy-to-read rhyming text that follows the heroics of Babe Didrikson Zaharias to the splendor of the Master to the mystery of the dimples of every golf ball. Sport-loving Brad Herzog brings his pen power to skillfully explain the game on grass and the characters and legends that make golf as fun as it is difficult to master. No matter what course hackers step upon - their local public course or the majesty of Pebble Beach, golf is a game full of color and colorful character and history. Artist Bruce Langton brings his outdoor eye to capture the rich and lustrous palette of the sport of swings. A perfect gift for the sport nut, amateur golfer or anyone who has dreamed of playing alongside the greats, P is for Putt: A Golfer's Alphabet is a welcome addition to any golf bag, bookshelf or 19th hole. Once the book is opened, it won't be put down until every fun, fact-filled page has been shared and shared some more. Teeing off this April!

Where was the first organized indoor hockey game played? When did the tradition of engraving winners' names on the Stanley Cup start? Which six brothers collectively played in more than 5,000 NHL games? Answers to these questions and many more can be found in H is for Hockey: An NHL Alumni Alphabet. Formed in 1999, the National Hockey League Alumni Association is affectionately known as "Hockey's Greatest Family" for good reason. Members of the NHL Alumni are considered hockey ambassadors, supporting the game and its history through many charitable causes and programs. Written by one of the game's foremost historians, this book pays tribute to them and the sport they love. Adding a personal touch are the memorable quotes sprinkled throughout the text. When 17-year-old Sidney Crosby was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005, he said, "This is amazing. It's been a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifices. It's unbelievable!"

Engines hum and hearts pound as cars hurtle around the track at 200 miles per hour. In R is for Race: A Stock Car Alphabet, readers will experience the track's sights and sounds as they learn the ins and outs of stock car racing, from its humble beginnings in 1895 to the fastest growing sport in America. Whether interested in the guys in the garage or the Daytona International Speedway, fans young and old will speed from A to Z as they are introduced to the people, places and memorable moments in stock car racing.As a freelance magazine writer, author Brad Herzog has earned three gold medals from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. He has also written several sports titles for Sleeping Bear Press, including H is for Home Run: A Baseball Alphabet. Brad lives with his family on California's Monterey Peninsula. Illustrator Jane Gilltrap Bready's motorsports paintings have been displayed in museums worldwide. She came by her love of cars naturally, as she was born into a family with racing ties. She and her family live in New Hampshire.

From the first woman to swim the English Channel to the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, there have been some incredible and amazing events and milestones in the world of sports. Now in A is for Amazing Moments: A Sports Alphabet, sportswriter Brad Herzog showcases those events that set sports records while impacting American history and world views. Learn how runner Jesse Owens not only amazed the world but also stunned Nazi Germany at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Cheer on Billie Jean King as she defeats Bobby Riggs in their 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match. Read how super-racehorse Secretariat ran away with America's heart as well as the 1973 Triple Crown. All these moments, and many more, are brought to pulsing life in A is for Amazing Moments: A Sports Alphabet. Vivid, colorful artwork captures the spirit and energy of these events.Brad Herzog has written travel and sports books for readers young and old. His children's books include H is for Home Run: A Baseball Alphabet and T is for Touchdown: A Football Alphabet. Lauded by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, Brad lives on California's Monterey Peninsula. Melanie Rose is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and has illustrated numerous books for Sleeping Bear Press including H is for Home Run: A Baseball Alphabet; K is for Kick: A Soccer Alphabet; and Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphabet. She lives near Toronto, Canada.

E is for Extreme indeed! From the gravity-defying rush of bungee jumping to the ultimate endurance challenge of the ultramarathon, young readers are given an armchair seat to the world of extreme sports. What makes the Iditarod sled dog race so grueling? What sports competition is only open to U.S. Army Rangers? And what famous mountaineer answered "Because it's there" to the question of why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, only to disappear on the mountain a year later? Other topics include drag racing, freestyle skiing, and kite boarding. Now thrill seekers of all ages can experience the ABC's of extreme sports.Prolific travel/sportswriter Brad Herzog has more than two dozen books to his credit, including six sports alphabet books for Sleeping Bear Press. When he's not traveling around the United States, Brad makes his home on California's Monterey Peninsula with his family. Melanie Rose has illustrated almost a dozen books for Sleeping Bear Press, including the bestselling Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphabet and W is for Wind: A Weather Alphabet. Among her future book projects are a dance alphabet and an England alphabet. Melanie lives in Mississauga, Canada.

Consonants and short vowels are featured and highlighted in simple words and children's names-- Large type; ample spacing between words-- Easy-to-follow layout; text appears at same place on every page-- Print separated from photos-- Short words and simple sentences-- Short vowel sounds-- Introduces digraphs, consonant blends-- Common picture words list helps reader decode text-- Word repetition reinforces learning-- Photos assist reader with word recognition and reflect multicultural diversity