The Littlest SisterPage Street Kids
(pub. 5.21.2019)
40 pages
and illustrator:
Monica Ahanonu
C haracter: Serena Williams
O verview:
"A true story of sisterhood and championship, this is how Serena Williams became not only one of the greatest female athletes, but one of the biggest sports stars of all time.
Long before becoming a tennis star, Serena was the youngest in a family of five girls. Being a littlest sister made Serena determined to stand out and be a winner ..."
T antalizing taste: Monica Ahanonu
C haracter: Serena Williams
O verview:
"A true story of sisterhood and championship, this is how Serena Williams became not only one of the greatest female athletes, but one of the biggest sports stars of all time.
Long before becoming a tennis star, Serena was the youngest in a family of five girls. Being a littlest sister made Serena determined to stand out and be a winner ..."
"... Serena turned pro at fourteen, like Venus. But unlike Venus, Serena lost.
So Venus and Serena started playing as a doubles team. Playing with her sister, Serena felt stronger. Their motto was, 'If you can't do it for you, do it for me.'
By the time she turned sixteen, Serena had grown taller and more confident. She was ready to play on her own - and in her own style.
Serena wasn't as strong or as fast as Venus, so she angled her shots to win. After she fell off her skateboard one day, it hurt her wrist too much to hit a backhand. Instead Serena ran around the ball and hit her forehand extra hard."
And something more: The Afterword explains that "On September 11, 1999, Serena Williams became the first black woman to win the US Open since Althea Gibson's victory in 1957... In 2017, Serena and Venus played against each other in the Australian Open. When Serena won, she made history again - setting a record for the most major titles in the Open era. Thirty-five-year-old Serena said, 'I really would like to take this moment to congratulate Venus ... She is my inspiration...Thank you, Venus, for inspiring me to be the best payer I could be..."
4 comments:
I'm hoping to grab a copy of The Littlest Sister. This week I'm reading/reviewing Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams, so it's the perfect time to add The Littlest Sister to my stack. Thanks for sharing, Jeanne!
Thanks for this book. As the oldest of five children I never noticed my siblings trying to catch up with me, but as a parent I certainly saw my younger son attempt to match the older one.
I love that when she had won the most major titles, Serena thanked and congratulated her sister for all she had done.
Hi 2Shaye,
I love the synchronicity of timing -- that you're reading a book about the Williams sisters this week.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate it
Hi Cheriee,
Wow! The oldest of five children - I bet the younger ones were definitely looking up to you. I too liked learning about the appreciation Serena has for her older sister.
Thanks for stopping by!
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