Sisters: Venus & Serena Williams

Winters begins her understated biography of the Williams sisters in their childhood in Compton, Calif.: "Early morning, Daddy takes the sisters to the court, where some older boys still think it's night." The sisters are first pictured playing on a litter-filled court, but as they work hard to learn the game, they garner attention. Winter's dynamic yet mannered art style lends individual scenes a feeling of visual vignette. The sisters' skills result in an accumulation of trophies, and their personal flair shines through as they "try new ways of dressing and new hairstyles no one has seen on a tennis court before." Winter addresses the sisters' physical struggles and subsequent recovery as they "practice hard and hit those bright balls on their own tennis court--concentrating like they did when they were little." The affectionate story concludes with the two athletes embracing over the net, following one of their many matches. Ages 3-8. (Apr.)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

A story about the love and friendship of two sisters and the determination of a family to succeed.

From the very opening of the book, the story focuses equally on the loving relationship between African-American tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams and the affection and resilience of the Williams family in a challenging and often violent environment in Compton, California. The dedicated father and his daughters wake early every morning to clean the run-down tennis courts. The girls' focus as they practice draws the attention and protection of a group of older boys who like to hang out at the courts: their first fans. Well into the night, the girls study hard, supported by their mother and each other. The text and illustrations work together, much as the Williams sisters do, to highlight their history-making challenges and achievements. With changes in scenery and other vivid depictions that encourage readers to consider confrontations of race and class, the book aims for honesty while remaining age-appropriate for young readers. Images of the two brown-skinned sisters, hair in braids, against seas of white spectators speak volumes, as do later scenes that include the additions of some brown faces in those stands as the two adult superstars compete. The love of the family and complicated community is weaved throughout, creating a candid depiction of how love grows in all places and can provide the scaffolding for success.

An ace.—Kirkus Reviews "3/1/19 "