A thoughtfully and sharply written look at the Williams sisters rise to fame, stopping pretty much after Serena's win against Venus at the Grand Slam Cup (there is a two page afterword that bulletpoints later life events and some of their other work). This book does a great job at illustrating the difficulties and prejudice the sisters faced, as well as how they supported each other throughout their whole careers. The artwork is also super lovely: it's a beautiful mixed media style of fabrics and patterned paper that fits well with the story. I think even younger readers who aren't sports fans will still enjoy reading this! ( )

There is really sooooooo much to say about legendary tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams. So what I admired about this book is the focus on the relationship between the two of them: "two peas in a pod, best friends... as close as two sisters could be." I think VENUS & SERENA would have been a more apt title than GAME CHANGERS.

This is a story of hard work and humble beginnings. They had to sweep the court free of trash before they could practice. They learned ballet, ran track, made up their own drills, all in the pursuit of being better tennis players. Their neighborhood had a lot of gang violence and they could sometimes hear gunfire during their practice sessions.

The craziest thing I learned from this book is that their dad "brought in busloads of neighborhood kids to surround the practice courts as they played... and paid each and every one to hurl the worst words his daughters might hear during their matches." He kind of vaccinated them against the harassment they would face from racist tennis fans.

This is a great picture book distillation of the Williams sisters' early careers and their strong bond. ( )

Recommended Ages: Gr.

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Personal Thoughts: I really hate the illustrations in this story. I think they aren't consistent throughout the book and they are not my style at all. The sisters themselves are impressive and their devotion to the sport, their unsafe neighborhood, and their dad's hard work as their coach for so long are clearly evident in this book. However, we don't learn enough about the sister's accomplishments, especially related to social justice, unless you read the author's note, which most students never do. I think there may be better biographies out there of the impressive sisters.

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I want this one in my classroom library yesterday. I did not know the story of the Williams sisters until reading this, and I'm inspired by their dedication, by their sheer resilience. Sometimes I get frustrated when there is a rags to riches story, like that's how it works out every time and that once your rich all your problems are solved- not true. This story is different. Serena and Venus Williams grew up in Compton, did not have money to train like others, and were subject to sounds of gunshots and racial taunting. They worked very hard and their parents taught them "whatever you become, you become in your head first." They surely became what they believed they could, but this does not mean they were untouchable after their success. Their sister died in an act of violence, both battled sickness, and their parents divorced. They teach others that setbacks are only as big as you allow them to be. They are resilient, and this story will leave readers cheering as loud as they do at their matches! ( )

Serena and Venus Williams developed a love for tennis starting at a young age. Their father had a passion for the sport that he wanted to pass on to all his children, but Serena and Venus were the two that took to it the most. Like most people, I knew the basics about Serena and Venus Williams. I knew that they were some of the best tennis players in the world and that they paved the way for other African Americans in the sport, but I did not know how hard they had to work to get to where they are today. They lacked the expensive equipment and coaching most people in the sport had, so they made their own drills. They did ballet, football, and different exercises to ensure that they were the best. It never clicked to me that they would have had to compete against each other, but as I read in the book, they were extremely competitive and played to win although they were sisters. The story is an inspiring read that shows that dedication and hard work is needed to get what you want in life. Despite the odds against the Williams sisters they never let that defer them from their dream. Even though I knew who the sisters were I never knew about their early life and how they got to where they are today so I really enjoyed getting to read this book! ( )