Synopses & Reviews
At the 1948 Olympics in London, members of the U.S. Womens Track and Field team went down to defeat one by one. Any hope of winning rested on Alice Coachman. Thousands of spectators stayed late for the high-jump event and witnessed history as she became the first African American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. In time for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, this book follows Coachman on her journey from rural Georgia, where she overcame adversity both as a woman and as a black athlete, to her triumph in Wembly Stadium.
Review
"Lang brings her subject's early years to life through small details. . . . Cooper's pastels keep to a brown, grainy palette, recalling the Georgia dirt on which the track star ran as a child." --School Library Journal
Synopsis
As this year's Olympics draw near in Rio de Janeiro, athletes from around the world are training hard to overcome the competition, just as Alice Coachman did for the 1948 Olympics in London. This inspirational nonfiction book by Heather Lang is a story of perseverance and unwavering ambition that follows Coachman on her journey from rural Georgia, where she overcame adversity both as a woman and as a black athlete, to her triumph in Wembly Stadium. With her strong determination and innate athletic talent, Alice raced her way to the top of the track and field world and, leaping over all hurdles in her path, went on to become the first African American woman to take home the gold medal. This amazing journey is complemented by Floyd Cooper's pastel illustrations that serve to represent Coachman's incredible struggles.
School Library Journal says: "Lang brings her subject's early years to life through small details... Cooper's pastels keep to a brown, grainy palette, recalling the Georgia dirt on which the track star ran as a child."
Synopsis
Here is a story of perseverance and unwavering ambition that follows Alice Coachman on her journey from rural Georgia, where she overcame adversity both as a woman and as a black athlete, to her triumph in Wembly Stadium in the 1948 London Olympics. When Alice Coachman was a girl, most white people wouldn't even shake her hand. Yet when the King of England placed an Olympic medal around her neck, he extended his hand to Alice in congratulations. Standing on a podium in London's Wembley Stadium, Alice was a long way from the fields of Georgia where she ran barefoot as a child. With a record-breaking leap, she had become the first African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. This inspirational picture book is perfect to celebrate Women's History Month or to share any day of the year.
About the Author
Heather Lang first put to use her passion for writing and research as a public-health attorney. Like Alice Coachman, Heather loved running and jumping and beating the boys, especially her twin brother. This is her first picture book. She lives in Lexington, Massachusetts.Floyd Cooper has brought his artistic vision to more than sixty books and over two thousand book jackets. He is a recipient of the 2009 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration, as well as three Coretta Scott King Honors, ten ALA Notables, and an NAACP Image Award, among other honors. He lives in Easton, Pennsylvania.