This picture book biography is different than most picture book biographies about author Ashe. This book made sure to tell the story of his younger brother Johnny as well. If it wasn’t for Johnny’s sacrifice and willingness to do more time in Vietnam, Arthur may never have had a chance to win the U.S. Open. The story lovingly looks at both men and their belief in each other, and in breaking the barriers that they needed to break. This book was a fantastic look at a family that helped change history for the better.

This book did a good job of discussing the history and story of Arthur Ashe while expanding on what was going on around him by also looking at his brother. I found the illustrations to be gorgeous. If you have a sporty kid or want to make sure your children know about an important Black figure or if you just want to tell your kid a story of brothers working together, this is the book for you.

A tennis champion? Not a person I normally read books about! Sports are just not my thing! However, I always enjoy picture book biographies, and so does my 7-year-old daughter. When I asked her, last evening, if she would like me to read her a couple of books that I had on my iPad for review, she cheered. She enjoyed hearing The Ashe Brothers and learning with me about two men that we had never heard of before.
When Arthur and Johnnie Ashe were young boys in Richmond, Virginia, they were not allowed to do many activities. Many places were marked “White Only,” but they could play at the tennis court in Brook Field Park! Arthur spent a lot of time playing tennis, and he became such a good player that by the time he was 15, he ranked the fifth best player for his age group in the nation. He kept playing, even as he went on to University.
Both boys enlisted in the Armed Forces, and Johnnie went to Vietnam. He was determined to do everything he could to keep Arthur in a place where he could continue playing tennis. Sometimes this took great sacrifice on his part, but he loved his brother and wanted to see him win titles in tennis.When Arthur won, Johnnie cheered!
This is a beautiful story of the love that brothers can have for each other. I don’t particularly like stories about war, and there are some pictures of the Vietnam War which I could certainly do without, but I really loved the relationship between the two men. This is a lovely book for anyone who enjoys picture book biographies, or sports.
I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
WARNING: There are two pictures of fighting in Vietnam.

I have added this book to my TrueStory Bookshop and recommend it in three categories:
Picture-Book Biographies ~ Athletes
Picture-Book Biographies ~ Tennis
Picture-Book Biographies ~ Black History
https://bookshop.org/shop/KarlinGray

Commendable telling of the story of Arthur Ashe, which does labour the race aspects of his success very heavily, but has a little-known fact to back up how superlative his story became. His younger brother was a serving officer in Vietnam, and with only one combatant per family the rule, made the potentially lethal decision to serve a second time to let Arthur avoid the draft. So this is just as much about family, love and sacrifice on his part as it is about Arthur's work on the tennis court. Cartoonish illustrations make some unusual decisions at times, but serve quite well for the young audience, and if this hadn't tried to hammer home the race and segregation side of things this would have easily been a winner. It's still a book I wish well – and one that seems more than able to do a good job without my help.

This book is a must for the classroom! Not many books have covered Arthur Ashe and his brother's history. Their story of fighting for their right to play tennis in a world of white athletes will be an inspiration to readers! Excellent job!

A beautiful story of a boy who loves tennis breaking past the barriers of segregation. I loved the theme of brotherhood and how the brothers supported each other, especially Johnnie’s sacrifice for his tennis loving brother. This would be a great book for kids interested in tennis, brothers who need to learn to get along, or African American children looking for role models in their own race.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy. A review was not required.

I'm not a fan of tennis but this is very moving. I'm always happy to learn about important historical figures as much as I'm happy to read non-fiction children's picture books. I hope many people decide to buy this book for their children.

In 1968, Arthur Ashe made history and tennis entered a new era. This title for children opens with this wonderful event. The story then goes on to tell about Arthur and his brother Johnnie’s childhoods in a segregated South. How did they get from one place to the next? Kids should read this title to find out.

The tennis is, of course, the thing but I found the relationship between the two brothers to be quite touching. Find out what Johnnie did for Arthur-what love.

This illustrated title is recommended for home and school libraries, and for fans of tennis and biographies, along with those with an interest in segregation and its impact..

Many thanks to NetGalley and Capstone Editions for this title. All opinions are my own.

This brightly illustrated book tells the amazing story of Arthur Ashe and his brother, Johnnie. The book begins with Arthur making history by becoming the first Black man to win a Grand Slam title in the U.S. Open. It then goes back to Arthur’s childhood to show us his journey to the top of the tennis world, and how Johnny supported him along the way. Through the story, we see how segregation and Jim Crow laws affected the brothers. We also see their determination. Johnnie refused to let Arthur give up. He even went as far as signing on for a second tour in Vietnam to make sure Arthur was free to focus on tennis. This book is a great biography about the famous tennis player, but also a beautiful story about the bond between two brothers. An inspiring title to add to school libraries and classrooms.

As an elementary school teacher, I've been on the lookout for some good Arthur Ashe books. We are required to teach about Ashe and his achievements and this story is a great addition to the resources to teach students about him. I liked how this story focused on the relationship between Arthur and his brother, Johnnie. This story gives some background on Arthur Ashe's famous Grand Slam win.

Thank you, Capstone, for the advance reading copy.

This is such an inspiration! The story of Fhe Ashe brothers which I didn't know about gave me so much hope after reading this short storybook.

I find the storytelling so good, the way it has been presented in a mere few pages which I feel can be done with repeated efforts.

Do not think twice. Go for it. Let's read more such books and fight racial discrimination, become more knowledgeable and make the world a better place.

The kids who are going to read this book are so lucky! Kudos to the author. The artwork is phenomenal.

This is such a great book. It introduces children to a very important sports historical figure while also mentioning important historical events that were around in his lifetime. The illustrations were great. The text is engaging and easy to understand. It includes a great timeline of events at the end. I highly recommend adding it to the children's nonfiction collection in your home or library.

Great story - this is the perfect kids book - engaging, interesting and easy to understand. But it is elevated by the heartwarming true story it describes. As a tennis fan, I knew who Arthur Ashe was, and his historic role as a black grand slam champion, but loved to learn a bit more about him, and the special relationship with his brother, and share that story with my kids. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much Netgalley for the review copy in exchange of honest opinion❤️. I was sniffling while reading this book. If it isn't the purest form of love, I don't know what is!

Arthur Ashe had exceptional talent in tennis and everyone around him, including his younger brother Johnnie could see that he had the potential to reach greater heights if given the scope. Back then, America was segregated. Black people were deprived of opportunities to shine. But neither Arthur nor Johnnie let the obstacles tamper with their precious goals. After a couple of years when Arthur went on to become the first black man to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open inspiring rising black talents all over the world, it was not only Arthur's but also Johnnie's hard work and dedication paying off. The narration was heart warming and the illustrations were beautifully done. A wonderful, wonderful book. Absolutely loved it.

I absolutely loved this book. The illustrations were great, and what an amazing story! I loved learning about the Ashe brothers and everything they both accomplished. I think this is an inspiring story of family and pursuing your goals no matter what. This would be a great story in an educational setting as well as a home setting to teach many important lessons! Tennis is a sport that isn't always as well known as others and it's important for everyone to know stories like this. I liked the inclusion of the timeline at the end to get a full picture of the lives of the Ashe brothers. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

A very sweet an inspirational story about two brothers growing up in the Jim Crow South. Arthur was a bit of a tennis prodigy growing up and his younger brother adored him and knew he was special. As Arthur's talents grew, he knew he had to leave his brother behind and move out of the South to grow as a tennis player. When his brother was called to do a war tour in Vietnam, he signed up for a second tour so that Arthur wouldn't be sent and could focus on tennis. This is an inspirational story about two brothers with a deep bond and a great piece of sports history about overcoming racial segregation and becoming the first Black man to win a Grand Slam. Perfect for libraries and classrooms.

Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!