Donovan McNabb

Part of the Football Heroes Making a Difference series, this gets off to a raucous start with a volley of boos. Fans in Philadelphia weren’t happy when McNabb was picked as their number-one draft choice. But a season later, after a trip to the play-offs, they began to see things differently. The book then goes back to McNabb’s childhood, when a persistent coach drafted Donovan despite his mother’s worries about the sport. Kids will identify with the young Donovan shown in photos as a Little Leaguer and playing with family. Although plenty of attention is paid to his career, this slim book also lives up to the name of the series, showing McNabb’s involvement in charity work, especially when it comes to diabetes, a disease that affects family members. The splashy format gives the book a fun feel, and a brief list of books and Web sites rounds out the treatment. Glossary appended.