Offbeat Sports

Reading more like encyclopedias than narrative sports nonfiction, each book in this series covers athletes from a wide range of fields that fit the bill of the title. Memorable Characters includes tennis spitfire John McEnroe and football braggadocio Chad Ochocinco. Offbeat describes roller derby—and Quidditch! While all the books are enjoyable to read, perhaps the best are those that rely on emotional stories. Careers Cut Short discusses players whose injuries or untimely deaths curtailed their careers, such as baseball players Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente. Biggest Scandals dives into the steroid era in baseball and has a section on the infamous Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan kneecapping incident. A fine series for robust collections serving readers who like to learn a little about a lot.