Lacrosse in Action. (Sports in Action). John Crossingham. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2003. 32 pp., pbk. & cl., $8.06 (pbk.), $19.96 (cl.). ISBN 0-7787-0349-5 (pbk.), ISBN 0-7787-0329-0 (cl.). Subject Heading: Lacrosse-Juvenile literature. Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12. Review by Deborah Mervold. **** /4

excerpt:

Lacrosse is a fast-paced sport played by two teams. Each team attempts to score goals by getting a small ball into its opponent's net. The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins. Players catch, carry, pass, and shoot the ball using a long crosse, or stick. The stick has a handle and a netted pocket at one end for holding the ball. There are three main types of lacrosse: boys' field lacrosse, girls' field lacrosse, and box lacrosse. Field lacrosse is an outdoor sport that is played on a grass field. Box lacrosse is usually played indoors, where the game is "boxed" in by walls, but it can also be played outdoors. The walls are set up around the playing field to enclose it.

Each type of lacrosse has different rules and positions, but they all use similar skills.

Presently, there are 18 titles in the "Sports in Action" series created by Bobbie Kalman, a well-known author for children's nonfiction books. The books include a table of contents, glossary and index. The vocabulary in the glossary is boldfaced in the text. Headings and subheadings are also in darker print. Some material is included in boxes to add additional information such as "Taking Aim," "Native History" and "Field Positions." Sections are short with vocabulary suitable for the intended age group.

     The content is divided into 14 chapters or sections, each generally two pages in length. Photographs and drawings are included to add interest and to clarify the information. Pages are clearly numbered, and the content is easy to read and follow. The book also includes rules and information for boys and girls where the game is different for each group. The text is written in second person which allows the reader to be an included participant rather than an observer. The technique works well with this topic.

     Lacrosse in Action would be an excellent choice for school, public and personal libraries. The content, vocabulary and format are presented in an interesting and practical way.

Highly Recommended.

Deborah Mervold is a retired teacher-librarian, educator and Resource Based Learning Consultant in Shellbrook, SK.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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