Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper

by Ann Malaspina, Eric Velasquez (Illustrator)

Overview

CCBC Choices 2013
2014-2015 Children's Crown Award
2013-2014 Macy's Multicultural Collection of Children's Literature
2015 Louisiana Readers' Choice Master List
A 2013 CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
2013 Amelia Bloomer list
2013 IRA-CBC Children's Choices
Best Children's Books of the Year 2013, Bank Street College

Tells how Alice Coachman, born poor in Georgia, became the first African American woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Bare feet shouldn't fly. Long legs shouldn't spin. Braids shouldn't flap in the wind. 'Sit on the porch and be a lady,' Papa scolded Alice. In Alice's Georgia hometown, there was no track where an African-American girl could practice, so she made her own crossbar with sticks and rags. With the support of her coach, friends, and community, Alice started to win medals. Her dream to compete at the Olympics came true in 1948. This is an inspiring free-verse story of the first African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Photos of Alice Coachman are also included.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807580349
Publisher:	Whitman, Albert & Company
Publication date:	01/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	9 MB
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Ann Malaspina has written many books for children, including Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper and Finding Lincoln. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two sons.

Eric Velasquez, the son of Afro-Puerto Rican parents, was born in Spanish Harlem and grew up in Harlem in New York City. As a child, his love for doodling and drawing was strongly encouraged by his mother. From his grandmother he inherited a love of music and from his father he developed a love of movies. Growing up in this setting, Eric says, "Becoming an artist was a natural choice for me. I have never thought of being anything else."

Editorial Reviews

CCBC Choices 2013
2014-2015 Children's Crown Award
2013-2014 Macy's Multicultural Collection of Children's Literature
2015 Louisiana Readers' Choice Master List
A 2013 CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
2013 Amelia Bloomer list
2013 IRA-CBC Children's Choices
Best Children's Books of the Year 2013, Bank Street College

"A solid introduction to a lesser-known sports heroine."—Kirkus Reviews

"The engrossing narrative makes this book a can't-miss account of believing in seemingly impossible dreams and pursuing one's passion. Gracefully pictured in Velasquez's oil paintings, Coachman flies high in every way imaginable."—Booklist

"Velasquez's majestic, thickly painted oils portray Coachman (b. 1923) with a quiet serenity and assurance, as Malaspina, writing in verse, conveys the magnitude of her accomplishments with agility and lyricism."—Publishers Weekly

"Alice, as depicted in Eric Velasquez's dynamic paintings, seems always to be airborne…Malaspina employs a spirited prose style to tell the story of Alice's extraordinary career."—BookPage

"An inspiring introduction to an obscure athlete."—School Library Journal

"Told in free verse, this story of determination will inspire readers to reach for the sky as they try to make their own dreams come true. Oil paintings beautifully depict each part of Alice's journey, with a double-page spread devoted to her gold-winning jump."—Library Media Connection

From the Publisher