This book is the compromise you've been looking for with life stories of some of the most famous athletes of all time. We discuss all of the challenges they faced in life and how those obstacles made them stronger and the person they became. We cover every sport from football, baseball and basketball to gymnastics and surfing. This book will engage every young sports fan as they learn about their favorite current stars as well as some of the most influential athletes of the past. - 12 inspirational sports stories of your favorite athletes - Quotes from each of the athletes on what their struggles meant to them personally - New information that largely goes untold when talking about each athlete - Remarkable illustrations of each athlete throughout the chapters. This book celebrates the history of sports by highlighting not only some of the greatest athletes of all time but also the struggles that made them who they are today. It focuses less on the accomplishments of the athletes on the field or the court, but the journey to their success and how that can inspire your child in the classroom and in life. We leave no sport untouched as we drift between popular sports like basketball and football into the more unheralded sports like track and field and boxing. If nothing else, your child will have a greater appreciation for the history of sports and learn about some new icons of their day. For every parent, this book gives you the opportunity to teach life lessons to your child in a new light. You can use this book as the background for larger life talks about perseverance and commitment. You can use these athletes as examples of people who beat the odds to become the famous athletes they became.