The lively narrative . . . focuses on [Venus and Serena Williams's] determination to succeed and their close relationship. Ransome uses cut paper, pencil, and acrylic paints for pictures that are varied and energetic.
Description
An ALA Notable Book
“Every page is splashed with vibrant color and eye-catching patterns, and the figures of the women themselves are full of energy, speed, and tension.” —Shelf Awareness (starred review)
Venus and Serena Williams are two of the greatest tennis players of all time. Some say they’re two of the greatest athletes of all time. Before they were world famous, they were little girls with big dreams.
Venus and Serena Williams. Two peas in a pod. Best friends. Sisters.
Six days a week they awoke before the sun came up to practice their serves and returns, to learn to run faster and hit harder. They were unstoppable. At age fourteen, Venus played her first professional match. Three years later, it was Serena’s turn. It wasn’t easy. Some tennis fans cheered for these two fresh faces, while those who were unhappy to see two black girls competing in a nearly all-white sport booed and taunted them. But they didn’t let it stop them.
With vibrant mixed media art, nonfiction superstars Lesa Cline-Ransome and Coretta Scott King Honor winner James E. Ransome share the inspirational story of two tennis legends who were fierce competitors on the courts, but close sisters above all.
Reviews
The story of record-breaking tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams has some- thing for everyone: they’re sports superstars, civil rights champions, and fiercely loyal and hypercompetitive sisters. . . . [T]his account celebrates their amazing, uplifting career journey and hard-won success.
The acclaimed Ransome husband–and–wife duo move from the historical to the present-day with this story of African American sisters Venus and Serena Williams, who changed the game of tennis with their prowess and determination. . . . Clear writing, aninviting layout, collage-style pictures, and quotes from the sisters and their parents make this nonfiction format accessible for emerging and more confident readers. Cut paper, pencil, and acrylic paints blend seamlessly to create beautiful bold, colorful illustrations in tribute to two amazing athletes. . . . Will appeal to children and sports fans of all ages.
This lovingly crafted picture book biography centers on the incredible bond between Venus and Serena Williams and one of their signature accomplishments: being the first two sisters in tennis history to rank numbers one and two in the world. . . . Fans of tennis will be in for a treat as Cline-Ransome recounts the Williams’s matches with thrilling detail. . . . An important selection for biography and sports collections.