When Jo Louis Won the Title [Paperback]

Belinda Rochelle (Author), Larry Johnson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Jo Louis dreads her first day in her new school because she is sure that the other children will make fun of her name.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a starred review, PW said that this "superbly crafted story affectionately and lyrically evokes both a sense of family history and the loving bond between a child and her grandfather." Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-The first day at a new school causes anxiety for Jo Louis, a young African-American girl who worries that she'll be teased because of her unusual name. Her grandfather tries to comfort her by telling her the story of its origins. He describes how as a young man he moved to Harlem from the South in search of a better life, and how upon his arrival he got caught up in a spirited celebration because Joe Louis had just won the heavyweight boxing title. That same night, Jo's grandfather met his future wife; hence they named their son after the champion, and he in turn passed it on to his daughter. Grandfather tells Jo that she should be proud of her name, and she is relieved when she has a positive first encounter with a classmate. Rochelle pens a warm, intergenerational story, and Johnson's paintings work well with the text. While Joe Louis and the significance of his victory will have to be explained to most of the intended audience, the fear associated with the first day in a new school will not. Try paring this book with Jacob Lawrence's The Great Migration (HarperCollins, 1993).
Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (August 26, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395816572
• ISBN-13: 978-0395816578
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,290,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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