Jesse Owens

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-- Two appealing titles that focus on the athletic careers of Olympic champions rather than on their personal lives. Each volume features cartoon sketches, black-and-white photos throughout, and a 16-page colorful insert that captures major competitions and related events in the life of the superstar. The insert photographs of track-and-field great Owens are printed in sepia tones, while those of figure-skating champion Witt are full color. Coffey traces Owens's life in chronological order, while he begins the Witt title with the Calgary Games in 1988. Selected quotations are highlighted in large gray print in the margins to emphasize interesting information. Gentry's Jesse Owens (Chelsea, 1990) is a more detailed account for older readers.-- Janice C. Hayes, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro