Larry Bird is one of the most accomplished basketball players in American History, but he doesn t hold any big secrets to the game or any super human talent. His keys to his success have always been practice, persistence, and a belief in himself. Most books about famous athletes focus on the career of the person as a professional athlete. This story focuses only on Larry Bird s life BEFORE he became the star of the Boston Celtics. This is the story of his childhood. Meticulously researched, Francine Poppo Rich crafts the important details of Larry Bird s early life into a powerful, true story of one boy s determination to play the best game of basketball he could play. From the age of thirteen, Larry Bird possessed a single-minded approach to his game: practice the basics. Rich weaves the words of Larry Bird s childhood experiences in such a way that even the youngest basketball player will be inspired to play with a passion. Award-winning illustrator, Robert Casilla, has painted the characters of Larry Bird s world with stunning accuracy. Casilla s portrayal of French Lick, Indiana and the people who influenced Bird in the 1970s provide an unforgettable portrait of a boy growing up in a place that he will always call home.
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About the Author
Francine Poppo Rich started keeping a journal when she was 11 years old. She s been writing stories, poems, essays, and articles ever since. When her son wanted to do a third grade book report about the early life of Larry Bird, there were no books available. So Ms. Rich decided to write one. This is her fifth picture book.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A WONDERFUL BIOGRAPHY OF LARRY BIRD'S EARLY YEARS,
This review is from: Larry Bird: The Boy From French Lick (Hardcover)
Being an avid follower of Basketball, and a Larry Bird fan, I was delighted to read this biography about Larry Bird. It is appropriate for children from ages seven years and up. This book gives an outstanding account of Larry Bird's early years, and children will enjoy how he perseveres until he becomes a Basketball Star.As a retired teacher, I highly recommend this quality book.L.S. from Long Island, N.Y.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The story of the boyhood of famous Boston Celtics basketball star Larry Bird,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Larry Bird: The Boy From French Lick (Hardcover)
"Larry Bird: The Boy from French Lick" is the story of the boyhood of famous Boston Celtics basketball star Larry Bird. Despite obstacles of little money, his childhood in French Lick, Indiana is described as happy but with challenges. Always active, he was taller than other children his age. He was also a leader, and respected and liked by other children. Larry was used to entertaining himself with his brothers and sister. As a young boy, he often played baseball with his older brothers. Once, at age thirteen, while on a trip to visit family in Hobart, Indiana, he came across the opportunity to play basketball with older kids, and found he had a natural talent for the game. From then on, Larry practiced hard at the sport he loved, making the high school B team in the ninth grade. He worked hard and practiced long hours before and after school, not knowing how good he was, but just wanting to improve his efforts to play. Many experiences with basketball playing would shape Larry's development into a star player, but most valuable of all was his determination to work at bettering himself and his play. One of the key figures in his childhood was his grandmother, Lizzie Kerns. She supported his efforts and quietly encouraged him. He played through injury recovery when he broke his ankle and drilled with crutches, learning a valuable lesson: that passing is more of an art than scoring. Encouraged to drill and train hard by a high school coach named Jim Jones, Larry perfected the moves that became the tools of his trade: the reverse pivot, playing with both hands, boxing out, betting rebounds, and throwing a hard, one-handed pass. His style was not fancy but his work was solid. Eventually he grew to be 6' 9" and went on to be a leader on Indiana State University's basketball team. His later life's achievements are chronicled in the end of the book along with a bibliography. The sensitive paintings illustrating "Larry Bird the Boy from French Lick" add to the picture of this hometown hero who never stopped trying to improve his game.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
FOR YOUNG READERS,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Larry Bird: The Boy From French Lick (Hardcover)
I PURCHASED THE BOOK FOR MY 20 YEAR OLD GRANDSON SINCE HE IS A DEVOTED BOSTON CELTICS FAN. WHEN HE RECEIVED IT HE TOLD ME IT WAS FOR A VERY YOUNG READER. I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT IT MENTIONED THAT IN THE DESCRIPTION. AMAZON HAD SENT ME AN EMAIL ABOUT THE BOOK SINCE I HAVE PURCHASES MANY BASKETBALL BOOKS. HE IS TOO OLD FOR THIS YOUNG BOOK.
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