Playing to Win: The Story of Althea Gibson

Playing to Win: The Story of Althea Gibson commemorates the achievements of a remarkable female role model, as well as a courageous and significant African American woman who broke down racial barriers and opened the doors of the white world of professional tennis to future African American tennis champions. Karen Deans, an accomplished tennis player herself, is a fresh new voice in children's books. She has written an informative and timely text about a woman who went from growing up poor in Harlem to becoming a world-famous tennis star in the 1950s.

After winning the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent for My Family Plays Music (Holiday House, 2002), Elbrite Brown comes back with a stunning dramatic style that breathes life into Deans' captivating and inspiring story. His vibrant, energetic illustrations move the reader across each page and on to the next, offering a courtside view of Althea Gibson's exciting accomplishments.