Following an introduction by former senator Bill Bradley, Ajmera and Regan elaborate on the philosophy of sport, addressing one aspect (practice, sportsmanship, teamwork, competition, rules) on each two-page spread. The text, which assumes a budding interest in sport participation, directly addresses the reader, in a tone that is friendly, reassuring, and encouraging. Each spread is illustrated by five photographs of children from around the world who are involved in a sport. Each also features a highlighted quote from a child, which offers insightful advice to the reader on navigating the ups and downs of participation. The title and the picture of a gymnast on the cover are a bit misleading in suggesting that the book concerns the Olympics, but, in fact, the authors have accessibly depicted sport as a fundamental, unifying human endeavor that reflects the ideals the Olympic games embody. (Reviewed April 1, 2000)

Paragraphs describing the physical and psychological benefits of participating in sports ("Sports give you a chance to dream"; "Sports bring people together all over the world") accompany dozens of color photos depicting school-aged kids and teenagers from around the world at play. Unfortunately, the dull, generalizing text fails to generate the excitement that the images of active boys and girls do.

K-Gr 5-In addition to illustrating how children all over the world love sports, this book will inspire youngsters to get involved in athletics and teach them about sportsmanship. Full-color photographs, often three to a page, feature children from many nations participating in a variety of games and competitions. For example, young soccer players from Israel, Guatemala, Bolivia, Ghana, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, the United Kingdom, and the United States are depicted. The photos are grouped by theme rather than sport, e.g., practicing, teamwork, and winning and losing. These pictures and the highlighted quotes from children help to reinforce the concept that even though they may come from many different lands and cultural backgrounds they have something in common. This book is unique in its approach to the subject and will make a good addition.-Barb Lawler, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.