From Booklist
Gr. 5-10. According to Willker's statistics, sports gambling takes in nearly $900 billion annually, one-sixth of which is amassed illegally. The staggering popularity of such wagering makes it a worthwhile topic for young readers, especially because gambling among adolescents is a growing concern. In this brief, well-written entry in the Need to Know Library series, Willker introduces chapters with affecting examples of how gambling destroyed the careers and often the lives of some of America's greatest athletes, including baseball's Pete Rose. He follows with general information about the growth of legalized gambling in the U.S., the symptoms and destructive consequences of gambling addiction, and a brief mention about where and how to find help. As is usual in books in this series, which is targeted to reluctant readers, the simple language, large type, and numerous pictures will attract middle-graders, but the information will serve older readers, too. Roger Leslie
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
