Michael's Golden Rules    by Deloris Jordan, Roslyn M. Jordan & Kadir Nelson Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2007 (2007) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch In this picture book by the mother and sister of former NBA star Michael Jordan, young Michael and his friend Jonathan are on a baseball team. Unfortunately, Jonathan lacks confidence and is frustrated when he makes errors. The two have a heart-to-heart with Michael's uncle Jack, who teaches them ten golden rules of sportsmanship. These include 'Know your opponent'; 'Learn from your mistakes'; 'Find out what you do best'; and 'Have fun.' Jonathan and Michael repeat the golden rules to themselves like a mantra, and try their best to adhere to Uncle Jack's advice by practicing and working on their weaknesses. Eventually, they are put to the test when they play against a team that is more skilled than their own team. The book is well-written and is even somewhat suspenseful during the scenes where the final game was in play. I liked that at the end of the story, the boys did not win their game, which reflects the reality that you cannot always be on a winning team. Nonetheless, Jonathan is buoyed by what he learned, and even though his team loses, he does not feel like a loser; in fact he feels better about himself as a person and as a player.  This is a great book for any child who plays or is thinking of playing competitive sports. The accompanying drawings are cartoonish and exaggerated, but well-done and full of vibrancy. Nelson's sense of perspective and his ability to capture facial expressions are commendable. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews