SQUAD GOALS

A celebration of the winningest women’s team in World Cup competition.

Along with tracking the success of the women’s national team from its early years when it was (in the author’s polite phrase) “not the team to beat” to four World Cup wins—each described in dramatic fashion—Calkhoven profiles five prominent pros from Mia Hamm to Trinity Rodman, noting that both Megan Rapinoe and Briana Scurry are gay. She goes on to add a thumbnail history of the sport’s early days, coaching notes for some important ball skills, and select records and facts before rounding it all off with a review quiz. At least some of Dong’s painted figures, including an image of Brandi Chastain wearing a sports bra and holding her jersey aloft after making a winning goal and another of Megan Rapinoe in a victory pose, are based on famous photos but leave their subjects recognizable, and besides portraits of Rodman and Scurry, brown-skinned girls and women feature prominently in nearly all of the illustrations. A claim near the end that at least 100 more U.S. colleges sponsor soccer teams for women than for men now is a telling sign of the sport’s growing popularity.

A rousing cheer for women on the pitch.