McKissack,
Patricia and Fredrick.
Jesse Owens. Enslow 2013 24p $21.26 978-0-7660-4104-2
series: Famous African Americans.
elem Biography
VG-BN
Coretta Scott King Award recipients
Patricia and Fredrick McKissack have written over 100 books focusing on the
African-American experience. They
have teamed up once more to provide a simple biography of legendary track star
Jesse Owens intended for elementary school readers. The
spare text, combined with archival photos and full-color illustrations to fill
in gaps, offers a solid introduction to the Olympic athlete who won four gold
medals at Hitler’s 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
Unlike many juvenile biographies about Jesse Owens, this one does not begin and end with the track star’s Olympic experiences. Owens’s childhood and collegiate experiences at Ohio State are given due diligence. The McKissacks also share Owens’s tough times following the Olympics. Poor business sense and a failed academic career did not deter Owens from a successful career working with and inspiring young people through youth athletic programs for the rest of his life. He penned two books and was given an award by President Carter in 1979.
The themes of perseverance in overcoming adversity and the pursuit of excellence are important ones for young readers. This volume will find useful application in many areas of the elementary curriculum. Though it is too long for storytime purposes, young readers will enjoy reading the story independently.
Unlike many juvenile biographies about Jesse Owens, this one does not begin and end with the track star’s Olympic experiences. Owens’s childhood and collegiate experiences at Ohio State are given due diligence. The McKissacks also share Owens’s tough times following the Olympics. Poor business sense and a failed academic career did not deter Owens from a successful career working with and inspiring young people through youth athletic programs for the rest of his life. He penned two books and was given an award by President Carter in 1979.
The themes of perseverance in overcoming adversity and the pursuit of excellence are important ones for young readers. This volume will find useful application in many areas of the elementary curriculum. Though it is too long for storytime purposes, young readers will enjoy reading the story independently.
Jesse Owens, Track and field athletes-Biography,
African American athletes-Biography –Hilary
Welliver
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