By My Brother's Side [Hardcover]

Tiki Barber (Author), Ronde Barber (Author), Barry Root (Illustrator), Robert Burleigh (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2004 | Age Level: 6 and up

Tiki and Ronde were each other's best friends. Together from the start, these twins might not have been the strongest or the tallest, but they were fast and worked hard at what they loved. And they loved sports, especially football.

Then one day Tiki badly hurt his knee in a biking accident, and he was sure he'd never be able to play again. Their mother had always told them, "You are each other's best friends. Stick together, believe in yourselves, and you can do anything." They kept her words in their hearts and never gave up.

Based on the childhood of National Football League superstars Ronde and Tiki Barber, this inspiring book about the values of family, hard work, and determination is the story of what it takes to be a champion.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5–NFL stars Tiki and Ronde Barber present sports fans with a sun-drenched childhood anecdote about perseverance. Although the twins were "born smaller than most babies," they grew up to be a rowdy pair. The boys never left one another's side until the summer when Tiki took a bad spill from his bike and broke his leg, forcing him to miss the entire baseball season. The narrative follows the siblings' agony during their summer-long separation and their eventual joy at being teammates again. Despite its lengthy, lackluster text and a somewhat anticlimactic ending, the authors' role-model status will attract an audience, and Root's soft, watercolor-and-gouache illustrations will capture readers' imaginations. Vibrant oranges and yellows suffuse the pages, creating a sense of nostalgia. Similar to Deloris and Roslyn M. Jordan's Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream (S & S, 2000), the Barbers' tale will be a popular addition to sports collections.–Ann M. Holcomb, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. There's not much of a story in this picture book written by the Barber twins, who both currently play in the NFL. On a summer afternoon, young Tiki breaks his leg in a bicycle accident and spends the next few months laid up, watching Ronde's baseball games and occasionally sneaking out of the house himself to get in some illicit playing time. He gradually recovers, and is ready for football in the fall. Along the way, he listens to plenty of pat phrases about keeping a good attitude. Root's watercolor-and-gouache double-page spreads nicely capture young players in action in a variety of sports. His image of the two brothers sitting by a football field among the orange hues of a waning autumn afternoon is particularly striking. Young fans of the Barber brothers will enjoy this book. Others may wish for a plot with more action and substance. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689865597
• ISBN-13: 978-0689865596
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #43 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Sports & Recreation
  • #62 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Sports > Football

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Inspiration to All, September 14, 2004

By 

Michelle "michellesays" (U.S.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: By My Brother's Side (Hardcover)

Three boys on bikes. One steep hillside. And one dare - a dangerous dare, as a young Tiki Barber finds out.

"It's a serious injury. I'm not sure he will ever play again," claims the doctor. Tiki is determined to prove him wrong.

I liked this book because it illustrates several virtues, like PATIENCE. During one looooooong hot summer, Tiki must watch his twin brother Ronde play ball while he waits for his leg to heal. And PERSEVERANCE. The twins, born premature, overcome their smaller stature to make the basketball team.

This book is filled with motivational sayings, like "Believe in yourself and others will, too." And "We have to keep working at it." Now Ronde plays for Tampa Bay and Tiki for the NY Giants, so they no longer play "side by side." But they still "Play Proud!" as their mama told them to do.

Similar to the Michael Jordan book Salt in His Shoes, this book will be inspiring to parents or children, boys or girls, athletes or spectators alike.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stick together and never give up!, September 9, 2004

By 

Avalon "always reading in San Diego" (San Diego,CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: By My Brother's Side (Hardcover)

By My Brother Side is a wonderful story of the twin NFL superstars Ronde and Tiki Barber. The book tells a story of their childhood that illustrates the tight bond between the twins, their love for each other, sports and their determination to never give up even after a biking accident puts Tiki in a cast. This is a very inspiring book of values, and hard work. I especially like their mothers emphasis on "homework first", and her other encouraging words "you can do anything you put your mind to".

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars We Can Do It, January 23, 2005

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: By My Brother's Side (Hardcover)

BY MY BROTHER'S SIDE is a story about the childhood of Tiki and Ronde Barber. In the book, the two brothers are playing a little rough and Tiki injures himself. He must spend the rest of the summer healing from the injury, but through all the ups and downs he can rely on his brother. In addition, their supportive mother is always encouraging them to do their best, work hard and pursue their dreams.

NFL football stars Tiki and Ronde Barber have come together to create an autobiographical tale with strong, positive messages. This is a book that will appeal to all children, not just young football fans. It is a nice addition to the body of children's fiction because it of its appeal to boys and positive male role models. The plot teaches children that even if you are not the biggest or strongest, if you work hard it is possible to make dreams into reality. In addition, Tiki's character provides a positive example of how to handle adversity; while Ronde demonstrates how to support those you care about when they experience hard times. Most importantly, BY MY BROTHER'S SIDE highlights the special love and companionship shared between siblings.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay, Children's Editor
for The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers