Rachel’s Reads
by Rachel Levine
Soccer, softball, and basketball. Gymnastics, swimming, and track. Dancing, hiking, and lacrosse. These are all ways you can keep your kids active in the Roanoke Valley. Athletic opportunities abound, and the real challenge is finding time to be active on top of school and work! Being active is obviously good for our health, but sports can also inspire us to work toward goals, provide a way to challenge ourselves, and give us role models to look up to. Celebrate physical and emotional strength with these inspiring books, and then head outside and play together! Make sure to keep a lookout for Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall in Little Free Libraries around town!
Jabari Jumps by Gala Cornwall
Can you remember the first time you jumped off a diving board? The fear? The nervousness? The butterflies in your stomach as you tried to gather your courage? Jabari Jumps perfectly captures the experience of jumping off a diving board for the first time. Readers will cheer Jabari on as he slowly works his way up the ladder, then to the end of the diving board, and finally takes a big leap into the pool below. Cornwall’s stunning illustrations help the reader experience Jabari’s worry, determination, and hard-earned pride alongside him.
Hoop Genius by John Coy
Do you know the story of how basketball came to be? Hoop Genius tells the true story of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball! James had taken over a wild PE class that had already driven two teachers to quit. He was desperate. He needed a high-energy game that would be exciting but would limit the amount of physical contact between the players. He wanted a game that required skill and focus. Through experimentation and lots of trial and error, James Naismith came up with basketball, an exciting and challenging game now played all around the world!
Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull Wilma Unlimited is a book you don’t want to miss. Wilma Rudolph was one of the strongest women in American history. When she was just four, she contracted scarlet fever and lost the ability to walk. Wilma and her family fought racism and poverty to get her the care she needed. Through pure determination, Wilma regained her ability to walk, learned how to play basketball, and then began to run track — and wow, was she fast! Wilma’s hard work led to her winning three gold medals in track at the 1960 Olympic Games. Learn about Wilma Rudolph and be prepared to have your whole family inspired!
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Family • September 2021
