Women ballers get their due in this thorough series on the history of WNBA franchises. Each team gets a biographical treatment, from inception to current day. Some teams, like the Los Angeles Sparks, started strong thanks to talented players before hitting rough patches. Other teams, like the Minnesota Lynx, were used to losses when the league began, but developed a stacked roster over time. Women athletes as activists is a common thread throughout the series. For example, the Atlanta Dream used their voices to encourage voters to oppose their team’s co-owner, Kelly Loeffler, in her Senate run due to her anti-Black Lives Matter stance. After Loeffler’s loss, the team was able to successfully lobby for her removal as co-owner. Along with focused, engaging writing, each book also includes bios of big-name stars for a well-rounded overview. ­VERDICT You could cherry pick for your local team if your budget is tight, but the whole set is worthy of first purchase.

This visually arresting, excitingly written entry in the WNBA: A History of Women’s Hoops series (12 titles) examines the history of the Connecticut Sun. It opens with a nail-biter of a playoff game before backtracking to the Sun’s origin as the Orlando Miracle. Purchased by the Mohegan Tribe in Uncasville, Connecticut, the Sun quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with under the coaching of Mike Thibault. Frequently incorporating play-by-plays and game stats, Whiting’s writing will get readers’ pulses pounding as he describes the team’s ups and downs over the years; however, those not sufficiently acquainted with the sport may get lost in some of the basketball lingo. “Legends of the Hardwood” profiles examine many of the team’s best players, and crisp, action-filled photos add to the book’s energetic tone.