“Okay, Babe’s here! Now who’s gonna finish second?” The standard opening line spoken by the remarkable athlete whenever she entered the playing field reflected both her self-confidence and her sense of humor. Whether it was basketball, track and field, or golf, Mildred Didrikson excelled in whatever sport she tried her hand at, in a time when women were not encouraged to be athletic. In this generously illustrated biography of the athlete, Freedman focuses on her accomplishments and the means by which she managed to make a living in sports, something few women can do even today. (Age 11 and older)

When Babe Didrikson Zaharias was a child, her goal was to be the greatest athlete who ever lived. Few people come as close to their childhood goals as Babe did. She was an All-American basketball player, an Olympic gold medalist in track and field, and a championship golfer who won eighty-two amateur and professional tournaments. She also mastered tennis, played exhibition baseball, and was an accomplished diver and bowler. The Associated Press elected her Woman Athlete of the Year six times and in 1950 named her Woman Athlete of the Half Century. Babe accomplished all of this at a time when most girls and women didn't take part in these sports. This insightful and well-researched biography from Newbery medalist Russell Freedman brings to life the woman who changed the world's perception of female athletes forever-Babe Didrikson Zaharias.