What a kick! American kids are crazy for karate. One of the fastest-growing kids' sports in the country, karate is taught to 2.5 million boys and girls in over 17,000 licensed karate schools, and the enrollment is increasing 20% a year. Now comes the first-ever book-and-belt set that teaches all the right moves for beginning and intermediate students. Written by Michael J. Dunphy, a sixth-degree black belt and USA Karate Federation hall-of-famer, The Kids' Karate Book features clear, safe, basic instruction in karate and tae kwon do. Here are the stances, the blocks, the punches -- including backfist, hammerfist, swordhand, and ridgehand. And the kicks -- front kick, side kick, flying kick, hook, wheel, and axe. There are breathing exercises, drills, even a section on the four "c's" -- courage, commitment, courtesy, and confidence. Black-and-white, step-by-step photographs clearly break down each move and are shot by Joe Smithberger, a photographer and black belt, using real karate students as models.Included with the book is a classic white cotton beginner's belt -- an obi to loop around the waist twice. Put it on and begin to feel not just the power, but the grace, discipline, fitness, and, irrepressible enthusiasm of karate kids. Read Less