Martina and Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports

by Phil Bildner, Brett Helquist (Illustrator)

Overview

A fascinating dual biography of tennis greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert celebrates the power of equality, respect, and sportsmanship.

Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert come from completely different places and play tennis in completely different ways. Chrissie is the all-American girl: practiced, poised, with perfect technique. Martina hails from Czechoslovakia, a Communist country, and her game is ruled by emotion. Everything about them is different, except one thing: they both want to be the best. But as their intense rivalry grows, something else begins to swing into place, and a friendship forms that will outlast all their tennis victories. Phil Bildner and Brett Helquist tell the engaging true story of these two masters of the court as they win title after title — and, most importantly, the hearts of the fans.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536205640
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	05/14/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Phil Bildner has written many historical picture books, including Marvelous Cornelius and The Unforgettable Season. He lives with his husband in Newburgh, New York.

Brett Helquist has illustrated many books for children, including the Series of Unfortunate Events books. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Editorial Reviews

This spirited, engrossing story, containing an inspiring message and enough information for the fact- hungry, is a fantastic addition to all sports collections, particularly ones needing more titles featuring women in sports.
—Booklist (starred review)

The lively prose and Helquist's action-packed, in-your-face acrylic-and-oil illustrations yield a work as engaging as an actual Evert-Navratilova match. The dramatic cover and well-designed pages will draw readers in and make them feel they have courtside seats. A fine sports story.
—Kirkus Reviews

Nonfiction tennis books for kids are in general in short supply, and so are retellings of powerful true rivalries between star players of any sport. Bildner offers kids both in this picture book biography of Martina Navratilova and Chris “Chrissie” Evert...Though Evert and Navratilova are long retired and largely unknown to most kids, their tale imparts a timely moral: friendship and kindness are what matter most.
—School Library Journal

Bildner (Marvelous Cornelius) and Helquist (The Doll People’s Christmas) offer a gripping dual biography of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, two athletes who could not be more different, despite their shared talent...just as important as their competition was the unexpected bond the two women formed off the court: Bildner holds Evert and Navratilova up as an example of how friendship need not always play by the rules.
—Publishers Weekly

The book captures the importance of a friendship that prevailed between athletes even during their heated rivalry. And isn’t that the beauty of sports?
—Sports Illustrated Kids

From the Publisher

02/13/2017
Bildner (Marvelous Cornelius) and Helquist (The Doll People’s Christmas) offer a gripping dual biography of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, two athletes who could not be more different, despite their shared talent. “Chrissie was this All-American girl,” writes Bildner. “Patience and poise and precision.” Martina, meanwhile, “was all emotion, all the time.” Bildner’s conversational narrative creates an instant bond with readers (“Keep in mind, this was during the Cold War. You know what the Cold War was, right? No?”) as Helquist deploys a series of play-by-play action scenes that capture the speed and intensity of their many tennis matches. But just as important as their competition was the unexpected bond the two women formed off the court: Bildner holds Evert and Navratilova up as an example of how friendship need not always play by the rules. Ages 7–10. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

01/01/2017
Gr 2–5—Nonfiction tennis books for kids are in general in short supply, and so are retellings of powerful true rivalries between star players of any sport. Bildner offers kids both in this picture book biography of Martina Navratilova and Chris "Chrissie" Evert. Each woman's story begins in childhood, gently and with minimal text. The book becomes more interesting when the author notes that these two intense rivals were good friends from their first meeting and that each still fought hard to beat the other on the court. They both pushed to be the very best, and then they relaxed together—except for a few years when Navratilova had a coach who wouldn't allow her to be friends with a rival. They met in the finals of the French Open twice, intense duels that Evert won; Navratilova decided then that friendship was more important—and to this day they remain close friends who support each other's off-court charity work. Though Evert and Navratilova are long retired and largely unknown to most kids, their tale imparts a timely moral: friendship and kindness are what matter most. That said, this is likely a shelf-sitter despite a good narrative, strong illustrations, and great factual support that includes a bibliography for students doing reports. VERDICT Though a quality selection for students who need role models and for tennis players seeking idols to emulate, this title will require some handselling on the part of librarians.—Dorcas Hand, formerly at Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX

School Library Journal

2016-12-06
A picture-book introduction to tennis greats Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. "Hey, guys— / yeah, I'm talking to you," begins Bildner's case to prove that the tennis rivalry between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova was "the greatest rivalry in the history of sports." With the tone of a used-car salesman, he exhorts readers, "You NEED to know about Martina and Chrissie," and proceeds to show how each player grew up with the game and how their separate paths led to facing each other on the court. They met 80 times, and Navratilova won 43 times. Was this rivalry the greatest in the history of sports? Greater than the Red Sox and Yankees, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, Duke and North Carolina? Debatable. Like a failed drop shot, the hyperbolic tone mars an otherwise superb sports volume. Simply describing the rivalry would have been enough to show how great it was, without trying to convince readers when there are no points of comparison to others. But the lively prose and Helquist's action-packed, in-your-face acrylic-and-oil illustrations yield a work as engaging as an actual Evert-Navratilova match. The dramatic cover and well-designed pages will draw readers in and make them feel they have courtside seats. A fine sports story. (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews