Olympic Review Series: Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Runner by Kathleen Krull

World Records may have been smashed to millions of little pieces in these Olympics, and Track & Field is no exception, but back in 1960 Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win 3 gold medals in track and field during a single Olympics.  She was so fast that she was nicknamed "The Tornado."   This book tells the story, however, of Wilma before she became a history-maker.  

Wilma Unlimited shares how Wilma was diagnosed with polio at a young age.  It paralyzed her leg and everyone said she would never walk again.  However, Wilma was strong and determined and she worked hard every day.  Eventually not only did she learn to walk again, she ran and she ran so well and so quickly that she became the fastest woman in the world.  The moment in the book when Wilma walks without her leg brace for the first time, the reader will want to cheer and clap!

A conversation you can have with your child about this book could be: 

When you think you cannot overcome an obstacle, take a page out of Wilma's life.  If she can overcome a paralyzed leg, think about all of the things you can overcome in your own life.  What troubles you at school?  Is there anything that makes you feel bad about yourself?  Let's brainstorm and figure out a way you can turn the negative into a positive.  It is amazing what can be accomplished with a positive attitude and hard work.  Parents, you can give an example from your own life, too.  

This book contains plenty of language concepts and new vocabulary, such as "polio", "paralyzed", "brace", and "shimmering".

I was so inspired by the book that I looked up Wilma Rudolph and found some very inspirational quotes, which you will find underneath this book's  Book Briefs info.


AGES: 6-10

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I ran and ran and ran every day, and I acquired this sense of determination, this sense of spirit that I would never, never give up, no matter what else happened.

Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday.

I believe in me more than anything in this world.