An inspiring tale of athletic activism.
A competitive runner paints her face to make a strong, silent statement in this latest addition to a series celebrating athletes who take up social causes.
With the avowed intent of delivering “lessons on empathy, justice, and social good,” Maraniss chronicles Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone’s growth from childhood on the Lower Brule Sioux Reservation in South Dakota (where she was “the kind of kid who tripped and fell a lot”) to her later excellence as a runner in high school and college. As a federal worker in Washington, D.C., she found her social conscience activated after facilitating a demonstration against the Dakota Access Pipeline, which had been rerouted in a clear case of environmental racism. But it was her decision to paint a red hand over her mouth and the initials MMIW (for “Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women”) on her limbs while she ran in the 2019 Boston Marathon that made her a viral sensation and inspired a wave of similar protests against an outrage that is both historical and ongoing. Hodge’s drably serious monochrome scenes, which depict the subject running or posing with diverse groups of fellow protesters, may not kindle much response from readers, but Maraniss’ story should. The author concludes with discussion questions, a pep talk from Whetstone herself, and resource lists for both children and adults.
An inspiring tale of athletic activism. (glossary, list of Indigenous U.S. Olympic medal winners, Indigenous words in everyday English, U.S. state names based on Native American words, Lakota terms) (Biography. 8-10)Pub Date: June 3, 2025
ISBN: 9780593526248
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
It’s an often-told story, but the author is still in a position to give it a unique perspective.
The author of Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America (2004) tells her father’s tale again, for younger readers.
Though using a less personal tone this time and referring to herself in the third person, Robinson still devotes as much attention to his family life, youth and post-baseball career as she does to his achievements on the field. Writing in short sentences and simple language, she presents a clear picture of the era’s racial attitudes and the pressures he faced both in the military service and in baseball—offering plenty of clear reasons to regard him not just as a champion athlete, but as a hero too. An early remark about how he ran with “a bunch of black, Japanese, and Mexican boys” while growing up in Pasadena is insensitively phrased, and a sweeping claim that by 1949 “[t]he racial tension was broken” in baseball is simplistic. Nevertheless, by and large her account covers the bases adequately. The many photos include an admixture of family snapshots, and a closing Q-and-A allows the author to announce the imminent release of a new feature film about Robinson.
It’s an often-told story, but the author is still in a position to give it a unique perspective. (Biography. 8-10)Pub Date: March 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-545-54006-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
A squeaky-clean biography of the original Mouseketeer.
Scollon begins with the (to say the least) arguable claim that Disney grew up to “define and shape what would come to be known as the American Century.” Following this, he retraces Disney’s life and career, characterizing him as a visionary whose only real setbacks came from excess ambition or at the hands of unscrupulous film distributors. Disney’s brother Roy appears repeatedly to switch between roles as encourager and lead doubter, but except in chapters covering his childhood, the rest of his family only puts in occasional cameos. Unsurprisingly, there is no mention of Disney’s post–World War II redbaiting, and his most controversial film, Song of the South, gets only a single reference (and that with a positive slant). More puzzling is the absence of Mary Poppins from the tally of Disney triumphs. Still, readers will come away with a good general picture of the filmmaking and animation techniques that Disney pioneered, as well as a highlight history of his studio, television work and amusement parks. Discussion questions are appended: “What do you think were Walt Disney’s greatest accomplishments and why?” Brown’s illustrations not seen. An iconic success story that has often been told before but rarely so one-dimensionally or with such firm adherence to the company line. (bibliography) (Biography. 8-10)
Pub Date: July 15, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-9647-1
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Disney Press
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2014
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