K Is for Kick: A Soccer Alphabet (Sbp-Alphabet)

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.

In addition to examining the history and lore of soccer from A for a game played "all over the world" to Z for the French soccer star "Zinedine Zindane," Herzog provides detailed sidebars on each topic that supply lots of details that adult readers who are soccer fans can appreciate. This may well be one of the most impractical alphabet books I have come across, but that seems a small matter given the love of the game that infuses the entire volume. The result is one of the few alphabet books that young readers may actually enjoy more as they grow older and can read the details provided in the small print. The illustrations by Melanie Ross-Popp are energetic enough and older readers will appreciate her liberty in showing Brandi Chastain (under L for "ladies"). This is one of a series of alphabet books from Sleeping Bear Press that includes "A is for America: An American Alphabet," "M is for Maple: A Canadian Alphabet," "M is for Majestic: A National Park Alphabet," "P is for Pilgrim: A Thanksgiving Alphabet," and "Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphebet." Of course, I am waiting for the Baseball Alphabet book (H is for Home Run?).