Best Teen & Young Adult Martial Arts

Minamoto Yoshitsune should not have been a samurai. In short, fast-moving chapters—each with opening art by Hinds—readers witness the rebellious, brave Yoshitsune's formative battles, rise to fame, and eventual fall in 1189, while gaining an understanding of the changing role of samurai in Japanese society. Every bit as exciting as fiction, Yoshitsune's saga is supported with extensive chapter notes, a time line, a character list, and an explanation of how Turner recreated his world. A near-contemporary chronicle, Heike monogatari, and a nemesis’s history, Azuma kagami, reporting Yoshitsune’s deeds were too thin for the popular imagination, which immediately began embroidering on the sources. Turner unpicks some of the yarn but brightens the colors of what remains so that Yoshitsune, physically a small man, leaps from the pages, larger than life and twice as active. *It’s not often that “biography” and “page-turner” come together in one thought, but Turner’s tale of the twelfth-century warrior Minamoto Yoshitsune is just the work to draw samurai fans from the manga and movie aisles into the nonfiction shelves. Turner navigates the complex family and court relationships with commendable ease, occasionally tossing in a wry remark that supplies a touch of comic relief in so gory a tale: “When your half-brother sends assassins to kill you, it’s a strong hint that your relationship is beyond repair.” Plenty of support is also offered to readers making their first foray into the samurai world: a list of characters and places is located before the introduction; timeline, glossary (with pronunciations), and index can be found at the end. Because he lived more than eight hundred years ago and few reliable sources for the facts of his life exist, it's not the sort of biography that leaves you intimately acquainted with the subject. Turner's action-packed accounts of Yoshitsune's daring and courageous feats in battle, both as a fighter and as a leader, and his ensuing meteoric rise through the ranks of the samurai make for compelling reading. She's taken full advantage of the story's inherent politics and intrigue, treachery and betrayal to write a rollicking good work of narrative nonfiction, and Hinds's digitally assisted brush-and-ink illustrations heighten the mood and atmosphere throughout. Exiled to a Buddhist temple as a child in retaliation for his father’s botched ­attempt to kidnap the emperor, Minamoto Yoshitsune ran away at 15, eager to train as a samurai and avenge his family’s honor. Before he was a legendary warrior, Yoshitsune was called “a small, pale youth with crooked teeth and bulging eyes.” He began learning archery and swordsmanship almost a decade later than was customary. Turner’s fascinating descriptions of samurai armor, weaponry and strategy help mask an inevitable haziness in the undocumented years of Yoshitsune’s training, and “probably” begins to emerge as a tiresome word. Yet balancing the gaps are carefully chosen details, such as the practice of blackening one’s teeth so as not to appear barbaric, that offer ­enticing glimpses into the larger culture as well as individual personalities. Later, riding through the night, Yoshitsune and his men set fire to trees and houses, “their way illuminated by the misery of others.” Such violence is part of a warrior’s life, and Turner portions out just enough to satiate. Authenticity and excitement aren’t mutually exclusive, as evidenced by 60 pages of endnotes — the print equivalent of the director’s commentary on a DVD — detailing the process of reconstructing Yoshitsune’s life. Turner takes the opposite view, suggesting that what little is accessible “is nothing more than the fossilized remains of an impossibly complex human experience.” If her stirring portrait is of a ghostly shadow, the living, breathing Yoshitsune must have been truly dazzling.

This epic warrior tale reads like a novel, but this is the true story of the greatest samurai in Japanese history. Skinny, small, and unskilled in the warrior arts, he nevertheless escaped and learned the ways of the samurai. A near-contemporary chronicle, Heike monogatari, and a nemesis's history, Azuma kagami, reporting Yoshitsune's deeds were too thin for the popular imagination, which immediately began embroidering on the sources. Turner unpicks some of the yarn but brightens the colors of what remains so that Yoshitsune, physically a small man, leaps from the pages, larger than life and twice as active. VERDICT Japanophiles, action lovers, and future historians will all find this book gripping.—Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI *With more beheadings than you can shake a katana at, this account of the life of twelfth-century samurai Minamoto Yoshitsune is pure excitement. In short, fast-moving chapters—each with opening art by Hinds—readers witness the rebellious, brave Yoshitsune's formative battles, rise to fame, and eventual fall in 1189, while gaining an understanding of the changing role of samurai in Japanese society. Every bit as exciting as fiction, Yoshitsune's saga is supported with extensive chapter notes, a time line, a character list, and an explanation of how Turner recreated his world. A near-contemporary chronicle, Heike monogatari, and a nemesis’s history, Azuma kagami, reporting Yoshitsune’s deeds were too thin for the popular imagination, which immediately began embroidering on the sources. Turner unpicks some of the yarn but brightens the colors of what remains so that Yoshitsune, physically a small man, leaps from the pages, larger than life and twice as active. *It’s not often that “biography” and “page-turner” come together in one thought, but Turner’s tale of the twelfth-century warrior Minamoto Yoshitsune is just the work to draw samurai fans from the manga and movie aisles into the nonfiction shelves. Turner navigates the complex family and court relationships with commendable ease, occasionally tossing in a wry remark that supplies a touch of comic relief in so gory a tale: “When your half-brother sends assassins to kill you, it’s a strong hint that your relationship is beyond repair.” Plenty of support is also offered to readers making their first foray into the samurai world: a list of characters and places is located before the introduction; timeline, glossary (with pronunciations), and index can be found at the end. Because he lived more than eight hundred years ago and few reliable sources for the facts of his life exist, it's not the sort of biography that leaves you intimately acquainted with the subject. Turner's action-packed accounts of Yoshitsune's daring and courageous feats in battle, both as a fighter and as a leader, and his ensuing meteoric rise through the ranks of the samurai make for compelling reading. She's taken full advantage of the story's inherent politics and intrigue, treachery and betrayal to write a rollicking good work of narrative nonfiction, and Hinds's digitally assisted brush-and-ink illustrations heighten the mood and atmosphere throughout. Exiled to a Buddhist temple as a child in retaliation for his father’s botched ­attempt to kidnap the emperor, Minamoto Yoshitsune ran away at 15, eager to train as a samurai and avenge his family’s honor. Before he was a legendary warrior, Yoshitsune was called “a small, pale youth with crooked teeth and bulging eyes.” He began learning archery and swordsmanship almost a decade later than was customary. Turner’s fascinating descriptions of samurai armor, weaponry and strategy help mask an inevitable haziness in the undocumented years of Yoshitsune’s training, and “probably” begins to emerge as a tiresome word. Later, riding through the night, Yoshitsune and his men set fire to trees and houses, “their way illuminated by the misery of others.” Such violence is part of a warrior’s life, and Turner portions out just enough to satiate. Authenticity and excitement aren’t mutually exclusive, as evidenced by 60 pages of endnotes — the print equivalent of the director’s commentary on a DVD — detailing the process of reconstructing Yoshitsune’s life. Turner takes the opposite view, suggesting that what little is accessible “is nothing more than the fossilized remains of an impossibly complex human experience.” If her stirring portrait is of a ghostly shadow, the living, breathing Yoshitsune must have been truly dazzling.

A samurai fights for honor and survival in a real-life Game of Thrones . In short, fast-moving chapters—each with opening art by Hinds—readers witness the rebellious, brave Yoshitsune's formative battles, rise to fame, and eventual fall in 1189, while gaining an understanding of the changing role of samurai in Japanese society. Every bit as exciting as fiction, Yoshitsune's saga is supported with extensive chapter notes, a time line, a character list, and an explanation of how Turner recreated his world. A near-contemporary chronicle, Heike monogatari, and a nemesis’s history, Azuma kagami, reporting Yoshitsune’s deeds were too thin for the popular imagination, which immediately began embroidering on the sources. Turner unpicks some of the yarn but brightens the colors of what remains so that Yoshitsune, physically a small man, leaps from the pages, larger than life and twice as active. Although Turner often uses the word probably, the compelling narrative never strains credulity, and expert tricks help readers navigate Japanese names and sort out relationships. *It’s not often that “biography” and “page-turner” come together in one thought, but Turner’s tale of the twelfth-century warrior Minamoto Yoshitsune is just the work to draw samurai fans from the manga and movie aisles into the nonfiction shelves. Turner navigates the complex family and court relationships with commendable ease, occasionally tossing in a wry remark that supplies a touch of comic relief in so gory a tale: “When your half-brother sends assassins to kill you, it’s a strong hint that your relationship is beyond repair.” Plenty of support is also offered to readers making their first foray into the samurai world: a list of characters and places is located before the introduction; timeline, glossary (with pronunciations), and index can be found at the end. Turner's action-packed accounts of Yoshitsune's daring and courageous feats in battle, both as a fighter and as a leader, and his ensuing meteoric rise through the ranks of the samurai make for compelling reading. She's taken full advantage of the story's inherent politics and intrigue, treachery and betrayal to write a rollicking good work of narrative nonfiction, and Hinds's digitally assisted brush-and-ink illustrations heighten the mood and atmosphere throughout. Exiled to a Buddhist temple as a child in retaliation for his father’s botched ­attempt to kidnap the emperor, Minamoto Yoshitsune ran away at 15, eager to train as a samurai and avenge his family’s honor. The Taira’s tactics were stunning: child emperors abducted, the imperial regalia held hostage, sons of defeated rivals murdered with Herod-like ruthlessness. Before he was a legendary warrior, Yoshitsune was called “a small, pale youth with crooked teeth and bulging eyes.” He began learning archery and swordsmanship almost a decade later than was customary. Turner’s fascinating descriptions of samurai armor, weaponry and strategy help mask an inevitable haziness in the undocumented years of Yoshitsune’s training, and “probably” begins to emerge as a tiresome word. Later, riding through the night, Yoshitsune and his men set fire to trees and houses, “their way illuminated by the misery of others.” Such violence is part of a warrior’s life, and Turner portions out just enough to satiate. Authenticity and excitement aren’t mutually exclusive, as evidenced by 60 pages of endnotes — the print equivalent of the director’s commentary on a DVD — detailing the process of reconstructing Yoshitsune’s life. Turner takes the opposite view, suggesting that what little is accessible “is nothing more than the fossilized remains of an impossibly complex human experience.” If her stirring portrait is of a ghostly shadow, the living, breathing Yoshitsune must have been truly dazzling.

Learn all about stock car racing's biggest event and the drivers and crew who make it possible in this fascinating, fact-filled book. After working in the pits for ten years on the Indy and NASCAR circuits, Nancy wrote children's books on the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500.

The amazing story of the thirteen-year-old surfer girl who lost her arm in a shark attack but never lost her faith -- and of her triumphant return to competitive surfing. Soul Surfer is a moving account of Bethany's life as a young surfer, her recovery in the wake of the shark attack, the adjustments she's made to her unique surfing style, her unprecedented bid for a top showing in the World Surfing Championships, and, most fundamentally, her belief in God. Readers may not recall the name Bethany Hamilton, but after a glance at the cover photo, they'll recognize her as the girl who lost her arm to a shark while surfing. She then goes back to discuss the events leading up to the attack and to describe what her life was like before the tragedy--home-schooling in a strong Christian household and lots of competitive surfing. All rights reserved "Surfer Bethany Hamilton, of Kauai, revisits her first book—about her life before and after losing her left arm to a shark in 2003, when she was 13.

In this personal autobiography, Gabrielle tells her story of faith, perseverance, and determination, demonstrating you can reach your dreams if you let yourself soar. This inspiring autobiography will be enjoyed by young fitness enthusiasts, dedicated gymnasts, or Christian adolescents, though it focuses mostly on the family's sacrifice and less on the actual competition at the Olympics, which some listeners may find disappointing.

Paulsen and his team of dogs endured snowstorms, frostbite, dogfights, moose attacks, sleeplessness, and hallucinations in the relentless push to go on. Fueled by a passion for running dogs, Gary Paulsen entered the Iditarod--the 1150-mile winter sled-dog race between Anchorage and Nome-- in dangerous ignorance and with a fierce determination.

Get inspired to be your best—in sports and in life—with this uplifting memoir from star soccer player and Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan that includes eight pages of full-color photos as well as book jacket that doubles as a poster! In addition to detailing her triumphs on the field, she also describes other elements of her life, such as a long-term long-distance relationship, the chronic sports injuries she suffered, and her strong performance at college. In each chapter, Morgan provides helpful advice on fulfilling one's objectives, accepting failure, and staying positive and focused, as well as the importance of a good support network and the value of being competitive.

Beyond Championships Teen Edition focuses on the nine principles Coach Dru promotes to his players and tries to live his own life. He is a graduate of East Liverpool High School and Ohio University, with a degree in Business Administration.

“The emotional pitch of the story remains high as Romero contends with extreme weather, frustration, exhaustion, and homesickness to reach, with almost palpable exhilaration, each peak” ( Publishers Weekly ). Gr 6 Up—At the age of 15, Romero became the youngest person to climb the Seven Summits, the tallest mountain on each continent. Although the length of the book may be intimidating, it is an easy read and will appeal to adventure seekers.—MaryAnn Karre, West Middle School, Binghamton, NY "Romero's incredible, inspiring story may not inspire all readers to become record-setting mountaineers, but it will motivate them to set sights on goals of their own to achieve." (Kirkus Reviews). Romero’s incredible, inspiring story may not inspire all readers to become record-setting mountaineers, but it will motivate them to set sights on goals of their own to achieve.

Dan Bylsma shares his experiences rising up through the ranks of amateur and professional hockey while giving advice on issues including becoming a team player, knowing the rules, relating to coaches and teammates, and working hard. In today's jaded sports world filled with pampered, trash-talking athletes, perhaps only a hockey player could write a book extolling the value of such old-school customs as practice, teamwork, personal responsibility, hard work, and perseverance.

The book lays out in detail how youth and teen athletes can achieve successively higher levels, year after year after year, following the proven success of Mick's training program. The results he has gotten are nothing short of remarkable including National Champions six consecutive years and having qualified athletes for the Olympic Trials, Hershey National Championships 12 years in a row. As investor he has been investing for more than 20 years and also previously worked as a nuclear engineer for 22 years before retiring at age 43.

A smart, credible, and accomplished voice from an athlete who is strong and feminine, fiercely competitive, and fashionably cool, Jennie is someone young women will listen to and take to heart. Killion has covered the major national and international sports issues of the past two decades, including the rise of Olympic softball.

In this personal autobiography, Gabrielle tells her story of faith, perseverance, and determination, demonstrating you can reach your dreams if you let yourself soar. This inspiring autobiography will be enjoyed by young fitness enthusiasts, dedicated gymnasts, or Christian adolescents, though it focuses mostly on the family's sacrifice and less on the actual competition at the Olympics, which some listeners may find disappointing.

This excellent hands-on guide by one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America contains a wealth of practical instruction and advice on how to build everything from a bark teepee and a tree-top house to a log cabin and a sod house. Known as "Uncle Dan" to those who knew him well, Daniel Carter Beard (June 21, 1850-June 11, 1941) was a famed author, illustrator, and social champion.