Epic Athletes: Alex Morgan by Dan Wetzel, Cory Thomas
Published by Henry Holt & Company on May 14th 2019
ISBN: 1250295777
Pages: 160
Goodreads

Soccer fans, male and female, will find Olympic medalist and World Cup winner Alex Morgan a leader who will inspire for her determination and hard work on the soccer field.  Alex became an elite soccer player in her early teens and was highly sought after by Division One universities. While handling a full academic course load, Alex started for the University of California Berkeley’s soccer team and played internationally for the US National Women’s Soccer League.  Alex is also tenacious about women’s soccer players receiving comparable pay to their high level of success (it is well known that US men’s soccer players make considerably more money with far fewer accolades). A smart, well-spoken and talented women, Epic Athletes Alex Morgan, shines a light on a modern day athlete and activist.  Black and white cartoon illustrations appear in each chapter.  A glossary of soccer terms would have been helpful for the non-soccer aficionado.  It also seems a glaring oversight to have published this biography prior to the 2019 World Cup which brought the US Team another championship.  Rushing to get this out seems to have instantly dated this book’s shelf life and appeal.  An optional purchase for collections simply in need of more biographies.

Reviewed by Suzanne Dix, Westbrook Middle School, Westbrook