Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

LeBron James, by Anne Wallace Sharp. 104 p. Farmington Hills, MI: Lucent Books, 2008. ISBN 13: 978-1-4205-0014-1. ISBN 10: 1-4205-0014-7. $32.45.

This brief biography highlights the many reasons to admire LeBron James, both on and off the basketball court. The first chapters describe the challenging circumstances James faced growing up as the son of a single mother living in poverty. The importance of family and adult mentors in highlighted in this section as James is pointed in the right direction at every turn. The middle chapters detail the growing awareness that LeBron had extraordinary gifts, and his ultimate success was only a question of time. Arguably the player drafted out of high school who has made the most significant impact on the game in his rookie year, the issue of turning pro, with all the hype and possibility for exploitation, is examined in detail. The final chapters celebrate his phenomenal rookie and sophomore seasons, detail his business successes and describe the changes he has experienced through fatherhood. Any fan of one of basketball’s greatest players will enjoy this volume. Recommended for middle school, high school and public libraries.
—Doug Achterman