He was just a boy with a dream from a small, rural Massachusetts town. He loved wrestling and rap music, and studied and idolized the biggest stars in both fields. Little did he know that one day he would get a chance to combine both his passions. John Cena would become one of the biggest stars in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). In addition to winning the WWE championship a record 10 times, John Cena also writes and records freestyle rap music, appears on TV commercials, and stars in movies. He always makes time to help children, lift the spirits of American military troops both at home and abroad, and work for worthy causes all over the country. John Cena taunts his opponents, loves his fans, never forgets his roots, and has an exemplary work ethic that reflects the values of hardworking people everywhere.
Ubaldo Jiménez has become one of the most popular pitchers in Major League Baseball. Many fans believe he could become one of the all-time great pitchers. Jiménez hasn't been in baseball long, but he's already had an amazing career. He's played in the All-Star Game, pitched in the playoffs, won awards, and even pitched a no-hitter. Learn about Jiménez's journey from the Dominican Republic to the Major Leagues. Find out how his family played a part in making Jiménez the man he is today.
Miguel Tejada is a Big League baseball player who has been part of teams like the Oakland As, the Baltimore Orioles, the Houston Astros, the San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants. He grew up far away from these teams, however, in a poor nation in the Caribbean Sea. Today, he's a superstar in the baseball world, a fast and powerful player who never lets his teammates down. Find out how he traveled so far . . . from the Dominican Republic all the way to the Major Leagues!
Juan Uribe has come a long way from his roots in the Dominican Republic. He's played in two World Series, and he earns millions of dollars every year. But it's his roots that still make him strong. Uribe is proud of his homeland--and his homeland is proud of him! Read about Juan Uribe's life. Find out what it takes to be a baseball superstar!
Vladimir Guerrero has had a great career in baseball. He's played in the All-Star Game. He's won awards and made millions. He won the Home Run Derby--and he's even been on the cover of a video game! Learn about Guerrero's life growing up in the Dominican Republic, and then read about his path through the minor leagues to the Majors. Discover the story of how a Dominican boy went from dreaming about playing baseball . . . to playing in the Major Leagues.
Tim Duncan might just be the greatest power forward in NBA history, and strangely enough, he almost never learned how to play the game. Duncan's first love was swimming, but when a devastating hurricane left his training area in polluted ruins, he turned to basketball. Hard work and a great talent for the game would take him on a journey from his hometown of Christiansted in the Virgin Islands to Wake Forest and ultimately to the San Antonio Spurs. Duncan has led the Spurs to four championships, winning the NBA Final's Most Valuable Player award on three occasions. He has been chosen for the NBA's All-Star team 13 times, and was named the league MVP in 2002 and 2003. Despite his quiet demeanor, Tim has become a dominant force on the hardwood. He has also found success away from the game in family life with his wife Amy and their two children, as well as in his work with the Tim Duncan Foundation.
In 1993, when two young, unknown actors named Matt Damon and Ben Affleck couldn't get the movie parts they wanted, the lifelong friends decided to write their own screenplay. To their surprise, Good Will Hunting, a story about a blue-collar math whiz, became a box office hit after it premiered in 1997. It won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and Matt became one of the hottest young actors in Hollywood. Since then, Matt has starred in many memorable films, such as Saving Private Ryan, The Departed, and Invictus. One of his most successful roles is that of assassin Jason Bourne, a character he played in three hit films. Matt likes to keep his personal life private. However, he doesn't hesitate to use his celebrity to help others. Among the groups he supports are the ONE Campaign and H2O Africa Foundation, which are charitable organizations working to improve living conditions in Africa.
Adam Sandler is one of the world's most popular actors, and is known for his wildly creative sense of humor, which launched him to television and film stardom. He first became famous as a cast member on Saturday Night Live during the early 1990s. Fans loved the wacky characters Sandler created on the show, such as Cajun Man and Operaman. They were also impressed with the bravery he showed by being willing to do anything to make people laugh. Sandler used that same comedic genius to become a star in movies such as The Waterboy, Big Daddy, and Grown Ups. He has also made films like Reign Over Me, which show he is a fine dramatic actor. And Sandler not only acts in movies but also makes them. He started Happy Madison Productions so he could create films that reflect his unique sense of what is funny.
Alfonso Soriano has had a great career in baseball. He has won two World Series and played in the All-Star Game seven times. He's even part of the 40-40 club for hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in one season. Not many baseball players can say they've done the things that Soriano has! Learn about Soriano's path from playing baseball in the Dominican Republic to making it in the Major Leagues. Explore the life story of one of baseball's most successful players!
Not many baseball players are as famous as Alex Rodriguez. All around the world, baseball fans know the name "A Rod." He has been playing baseball in the Major Leagues for more than fifteen years, and in that time, he's played in the All-Star Game fourteen times. He's been named Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times, and he's won a World Series. Rodriguez has done just about everything in baseball! Learn about one of baseball's biggest stars. Find out how A Rod became the player fans know today.
Plácido Polanco has worked hard to reach his dreams in baseball. He's played in the World Series and in the All-Star Game. He's known for his amazing glove and great defense. Learn about Polanco's journey from playing baseball in the Dominican Republic to making it in the Major Leagues. Discover the life story of one of baseball's hardest-working players!
Robinson Canó has had an amazing life in baseball. He's won the World Series. He's played in All-Star Games, won awards, and made millions of dollars. He's played for one of baseball's most popular teams, the New York Yankees. He's even won the Home Run Derby. Read how Canó learned to love baseball from his father, José. Follow Canó's journey from playing baseball in a Dominican high school to playing in the Major Leagues. Explore the life of one of baseball's biggest stars--and find out how he went from big dreams to the big leagues.
Baseball fans around the world know "Big Papi." David Ortiz is one of the greatest baseball players in the world. He's broken records and won awards, and his face is seen in magazines and on television. At the same time, he's built both a family and a charitable foundation. David is living out the dreams he had when he was growing up in the Dominican Republic. Read David's story--and find out how he traveled from the Dominican Republic all the way to the Big Leagues. Discover how he came to be the Big Papi that fans adore!
Venus and Serena Williams grew up in Compton, California where they sometimes heard gunfire as they learned how to play tennis at a local playground. As teenagers, they grew into athletic women whose powerful serves often overwhelmed their opponents. In time, each sister would climb to the top rankings of international women's tennis. They have also maintained interests off the court; Venus has become a successful interior designer, while Serena has taken several acting roles and also designs women's fashions. But there have been dark days for the two sisters as well. Both have had to deal with racism, and to endure nagging injuries that have sidelined them for months. They also experienced the tragedy of a sister murdered on the streets of Compton. Venus and Serena have stayed competitive, however, and each is committed to remaining among the best players on the women's tennis tour for many more years.
In his 20 years as a NASCAR driver, Jeff Gordon has established himself as one of the greatest drivers in the sports history. Jeff has won four championships and more than $100 million in his career. He ranks among the top drivers on the all-time wins list with more than 80 victories. This book details Jeffs many successes, both on and off the racetrack. It discusses how he rose to NASCAR fame, from his first BMX bike to his famous number 24 car. Along with his championship titles, Jeff has won the Daytona 500 three times and many other famed races. Off the track Jeff is involved with several charitable organizations. His achievements have amazed NASCAR fans, and he's not yet ready to slow down.
Sheryl Swoopes established herself as one of the best basketball players in the world while she was still in college at Texas Tech. In 1997 she was the first player signed to a new all-women's professional basketball league, the WNBA. During her career in the WNBA, Sheryl led her team to four championships, was voted Most Valuable Player three times, and was a perennial player in the annual All-Star game. She also earned three Olympic gold medals while playing for the U.S. national team. Sheryl is one of the most decorated basketball players in history, but she is also a role model for young people everywhere. This book details Sheryl's many successes, both on and off the court, and discusses how she became one of the best and most influential basketball players.
Soccer is probably the world's most popular spectator sport. Yet Major League Soccer, a professional league in the United States, has never received much attention even though millions of youngsters enjoy the game on playgrounds and in organized leagues. Hoping to change that situation, in 2007 the Los Angeles Galaxy signed superstar David Beckham to a five-year, $250 million contract. The league hoped that his celebrity status will help make soccer more appealing in the United States. Beckham's arrival did boost the profile of soccer, and he helped the Galaxy win several league championships. But David Beckham is more than just a superb soccer player. He contributes time and money to charity to try to save lives in the poorest parts of the world. And he encourages youngsters to enjoy soccer as much as he does through academies he has opened across the globe.
Many basketball experts consider Michael Jordan the greatest player in the history of the game. During his 15 seasons in the NBA, Michael was voted the league's Most Valuable Player six times. He was the league's leading scorer for a record 10 times. And, most important, he led his team, the Chicago Bulls, to six NBA championship titles. But Michael Jordan is much more than a basketball legend. Through his winning personality, his sense of style, and his many product endorsements - along with his on-court heroics - Michael became one of the most recognized personalities in the entire world. He helped define what it meant to be cool for a generation of kids. Today Michael remains involved in the NBA as owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. By supporting a variety of charities, he continues to be a role model as well.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the worlds best-known composers, began playing music at a very early age and became a professional musician when he was only 17. He went on to compose hundreds of pieces of music - many of which are among the most famous in musical history - and influenced composer Ludwig van Beethoven. More than 200 years after his death, Mozart's music is still among the most respected and beloved in the world. Learn the story of one of the most important composers of all time in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: World-Famous Composer.
Few writers have had nearly the same effect on the English language as William Shakespeare. His plays and poems have been popular around the world for hundreds of years, long after Shakespeare himself had died. From Romeo & Juliet to Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote some of the most famous comedies and tragedies in history, stories both hilarious and horrible. Learn the story of one of the most important writers of all time in William Shakespeare: Great English Playwright & Poet.
Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species changed the way we understand the beginnings of life on earth. Darwin's ideas challenged people to think differently, to question long-held beliefs, and to explore a new field of scientific discovery. As a young man, Darwin worked to join the priesthood, but his life took a turn toward science after he joined a government mission to South America and the Pacific. Darwin's work on the trip pushed him to come up with new ideas about life and nature, including his famous theory of evolution. Learn the story of one of the most important scientific thinkers of all time in Charles Darwin: British Naturalist.
In 1937, a group of Tibetan monks searched for a young boy who was the reborn soul of the Dalai Lama, their nations spiritual and political leader. After the monks found the boy living in a small cottage, he moved to a mountain palace and became the fourteenth Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama lived as a monk, meditating and praying, advocating love and peace. After China tried to invade Tibet, the Dalai Lama had to escape his homeland and go to India, where he would spend many years working to free Tibet from Chinese control. Learn the story of one of the worlds most important spiritual leaders and peace activists in Dalai Lama: Spiritual Leader of Tibet.
Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates' ideas on how people should discuss, think about, and solve complicated problems have influenced centuries of thinkers in politics, law, and philosophy. The modern world would be very different without Socrates' method of asking questions about a problem to find the solution. Socrates' thinking has shaped modern science, government, and education, as well as many other parts of everyday life. Learn the story of one of the most important philosophical thinkers of all time in Socrates: Greek Philosopher.
At the age of 29, a man named Siddhartha left his home near the Himalayan Mountains. Born to a noble family, Siddhartha wanted to leave his luxurious life to better understand suffering and pain. After six years of prayer and fasting, Siddhartha found enlightenment by letting go of the desires that cause pain. Siddhartha became Buddha, and began teaching his ideas to any who would listen. Today, Buddhism is one of the worlds largest religions, with followers around the globe. Learn the story of one of the most influential spiritual leaders of all time in Buddha: Father of Buddhism.
French painter Paul Gauguin may not have been appreciated while he was alive, but his work later inspired many of the worlds most famous artists, including Pablo Picasso. In the century since his death, Gauguin's work has become better known and more respected. He is famous for his use of color and unique style. Gauguin's work set him apart from other French painters of his time and helped to establish the style of Symbolism. Learn the story of one of the most influential artists of all time in Paul Gauguin: 18th-Century French Painter.
