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Marshall "Major" Taylor: World Champion Bicyclist, 1899-1901

lernerbooks.com

Marshall "Major" Taylor became the fastest bicyclist in the world at the turn of the 20th century. He beat the best riders in the United States, Europe, and Australia. In 1899, he won the prized world champion title in Canada. Taylor triumphed despite experiencing terrible prejudice because of his skin color. He was turned away from restaurants and hotels that opened their doors to other racers. Competition doused him with ice water and worked together to box him in to keep him from finishing first in races. Yet, Taylor persevered, paving the way for African Americans in the most popular sport of the day-bicycle racing.

What Others Say:
"Brill's accessible, personable prose vividly relates Taylor's experiences, from the childhood trick-cycling gig that earned him his nickname, Major . . . to his later triumphs as the first black world cycling champion . . . . this inspiring life story will engage children, whether or not they are cycling enthusiasts."

  Booklist

Fun Activities:
- Think of something you do well, similar to Taylor's bicycle riding. What would you like your nickname to be? Create a costume that fits the nickname or draw a picture of how you look dressed in something that relates to your nickname and your special talent.

- Taylor won races around the world. Chart a map that shows the different places where Taylor lived and competed.

Other Books about Major Taylor and Bicycle Racing:
Major Taylor, Champion Cyclist by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Go Fly a Bike! The Ultimate Book of Bicycle Fun, Freedom, and Science by Bill Haduch


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Barack Obama: Working to Make a Difference

lernerbooks.com

Barack Obama Working to Make a Difference is the first and only children's biography about this popular U.S. Senator. The book reveals Obama's remarkable journey growing up in two cultures, struggling with being different, and striving to improve people's lives within his community, state, and now nation.

What Others Say:
"Brill offers a warm, personal portrait of the politician, beginning with his parents' disparate backgrounds and his multinational upbringing and moving through his political awakenings, higher education, and public life. . . . .Brill offers an intimate portrait that is bolstered by her own interviews with Obama's colleagues, schoolmates, and friends."

  Booklist

Fun Activities:
- Interview a neighbor or friend. Ask what that person likes to do, what their favorite activities and school subjects or jobs are, and the kind of books they like to read. When you have enough information about this person, write their story in a biography. Use Barack Obama: Working to Make a Difference for ideas about what to include.

- Young Barack lived in Hawaii and Indonesia. Find these places on a map. Read other books to discover what their cultures are like. Keep a diary of activities you like to do in your neighborhood. How are they different from where Barack grew up? How are they the same?

Books about Other Countries:
(Hawaii) Hello USA by Joyce Johnston

(Indonesia) Cultures of the World by Gouri Mirpuri


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Bronco Charlie and the Pony Express

lernerbooks.com

Do you like horses? Do you like adventure? Did you ever want something so badly you'd do anything to get it? That's Bronco Charlie, alias Julius Miller. Charlie loved horses more than anything else. By eleven years old, he had tamed wild horses, drove cattle, and roped steer. But his most exciting--and dangerous--adventures came when he took his first ride as the youngest rider of the Pony Express, the company that delivered mail before there were roads, cars, and post offices.

What Others Say:
"Beginning readers will be fascinated with the tale of this 11-year-old who fearlessly carried the mail through the mountains and forests, in the rain and in the darkness . . . . the book is an exciting bit of history that is fun to read."

  School and Library Journal

Honors:
IRA/CBC Children's Choice Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award

Fun Activities:
- Make a diorama that shows a scene from the story. Create rocks from clay or cut trees out of cardboard and paint them. Or build frame houses from popsicle sticks to construct one of the two towns Charlie visited. Be as creative as you want.

- Write a story about something you did that was scary. Tell how you overcame your fear to finish the job, whether it was learning how to ride a bicycle or going into a dark, musty cellar to find something important.

Other Books about the Pony Express:
They're Off!: The Story of the Pony Express by Cheryl Harness

Harness Riding the Pony Express by Clyde Robert Bulla

 

 

 

 



Copyright© 2005 Marlene Targ Brill. All rights reserved.