Epic Athletes

Kicking off his new series of sports biographies for young readers, journalist Dan Wetzel tells the inspiring true-life story of a US Women's Soccer star in Epic Athletes: Alex Morgan. Featuring graphic-style illustrations by Cory Thomas! Fierce competitor. World Cup winner. Role model. U.S. Women's Soccer star Alex Morgan has earned each of these impressive titles throughout her incredible career. As a young girl growing up in Southern California, she dreamed of being a professional soccer player, fighting to compete on the international stage against the world's greatest athletes. Flash forward to the present and Alex Morgan has emerged as the face of U.S. Women's soccer, famous for her clutch, late-game goals, and an inspiration to kids across the country.

Epic Athletes: Serena Williams is an inspiring middle-grade biography of the most celebrated women's tennis player ever from acclaimed sports journalist Dan Wetzel! Featuring comic-style illustrations by Sloane Leong! Serena Williams is no stranger to overcoming obstacles. From growing up in a tough neighborhood to combatting racism to weathering severe health issues, there is no challenge she can't defeat, no hurdle that will get in the way of her unwavering desire to be the best tennis player in the world. As a little girl, Serena spent years training at her local court with her father and older sister, Venus, dreaming of one day winning Grand Slam titles and earning the number one ranking in the world. After more than twenty years of dominating the world of tennis, there's no doubt that Serena has made her dreams come true. In this inspiring biography, bestselling author Dan Wetzel brings to life the story of an athlete and trailblazer who broke records and racial barriers. Featuring action-packed comic-style interior art, this uplifting biography of the most celebrated women's tennis player of all time is sure to be a hit with young sports fans across the country.

Bestselling author Dan Wetzel delivers an action-packed biography of the legendary quarterback and Super Bowl champ in Epic Athletes: Tom Brady. Featuring comic-style illustrations by Kazimir Lee Iskander! Throughout eighteen incredible seasons, Tom Brady has led his team to five Super Bowl championships and earned three Most Valuable Player Awards, cementing his status as one of the best quarterbacks ever. Only one question remains unanswered--is he THE greatest of all time? From the moment Tom Brady stepped on the gridiron wearing a New England Patriots jersey, the National Football League was forever changed. A star, a legend, a future hall-of-famer was born. Over the years, he's mounted comeback after comeback win, finding the open man for a touchdown just when victory seemed out of reach. In this inspirational biography of a living legend, acclaimed sports writer and bestselling author Dan Wetzel chronicles Tom Brady's rise from a backup quarterback at the University of Michigan to an MVP on the biggest stage in sports--the Super Bowl. This fantastic biography also includes vibrant comic-style interior illustrations.

Renowned sports journalist Dan Wetzel shoots and scores with Epic Athletes: Lionel Messi, an inspiring young readers biography of a soccer great who rose from an underdog to a champion! Featuring comic-style illustrations by Jay Reed! Lionel Messi has taken the soccer world by storm. He scored the most goals in a season. He's racked up championships. There was even a statue built in his honor. Despite the accolades, he's still hungry for more goals, more championships, more opportunities to shine on the soccer pitch. Messi's drive to succeed has motivated him ever since he first stepped on his local, worn down field as a kid. Yet his success didn't come without bumps in the road. Diagnosed with a career-threatening medical condition at ten, Messi refused to give up on his dream, and went on to amass one of the greatest careers in sports history. Filled with sports action and bold illustrations, this thrilling biography details the rise of a living soccer legend.

In Epic Athletes: Simone Biles, celebrated sports journalist Dan Wetzel scores a perfect ten with this uplifting young reader's biography of gold medal gymnast Simone Biles! Featuring comic-style illustrations from Marcelo Baez! At the 2016 Summer Olympics, Simone Biles dazzled gymnastics fans across the globe with each jaw-dropping flip, twist, and dismount. Her record-breaking performance catapulted her to the top of the sport, and she quickly became a hero to young people. But, well before Simone faced Olympic trials on the balance beam and rings, she confronted real-life challenges as a kid, as she moved in and out of foster care. With the support and love of her grandparents, plus her unwavering drive to make history on the ultimate stage in sports, she grew into an incredible role model and activist-and one of the greatest athletes of our time. Filled with sports action and bold comic-style illustrations, this inspiring biography recounts the incredible life of a world class gymnast.

In the illustrated middle-grade biography Epic Athletes: Zion Williamson, acclaimed sports journalist Dan Wetzel tells the inspirational story of the greatest basketball prospect of his generation. Following Zion Williamson's record-breaking season at Duke University and his electric NBA debut, basketball fans are already calling him the NBA's Crown Prince, drawing comparisons to all-time greats like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant. Now a New Orleans Pelican, he's set out to prove that he truly deserves to be the new King of Basketball. But, for all the expectations and accolades, Zion remains a humble, dedicated teammate, and a terrific role model for young basketball fans across the country. Filled with sports action and comic-style illustrations by David SanAngelo, this inspiring biography tells the story of a once-in-a-generation basketball superstar.