"We need to uphold the equal rights, voices, and
influence of girls in our families, communities, and nations. Girls can be
powerful agents of change, and nothing should keep them from participating
fully in all areas of life." — UN Secretary-General António Guterres
It's fitting that today as we celebrate the October 11 InternationalDay of the Girl, we feature this engaging book that celebrates Serena Williams,
an inspirational and powerful agent of change.
In this picture-book biography, Karlin Gray (author of NADIA:
The Girl Who Couldn’t Sit Still) introduces readers to a younger Serena, the
littlest Williams sister. She went on to become ranked number one in the world
in tennis, hold the most Grand Slam titles, and add four time Olympic gold medalist, UNICEF
International Goodwill Ambassador, plus fashion and interior designer to the
list of achievements.
Gray addresses the question: How does having a sibling affect
athletic interest or performance? Just ask anyone with a sibling who plays a
sport and the answer might be, “I didn’t want to be compared to my brother/sister
so I joined (fill in the blank) team” or “I was bored watching my sister play from
the sidelines so I joined along.” Serena was just four-years-old when she
followed her four older sisters Venus, Lyndrea, Isha, and Yetunde onto the public
tennis courts in Compton, California. She was part of a team, a family who
dedicated themselves to one sport: tennis.
While many may be familiar with the sisterly, competitive
bond of Serena and Venus, Gray shares the different interests of all the
sisters and how each influenced their little sister on and
off the court. I highly recommend this sporty girl book, SERENA: THE LITTLEST SISTER, that is beautifully illustrated
by Monica Ahanonu, an artist who “loves creating art that features bright
colors and strong black women.”
The back matter includes a follow-up to what each sister is
currently doing with quotes from each and a bibliography (books, periodicals,
film/TV, and Websites).
