  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/01/2016 Alta is the fastest runner in Clarksville, so an imminent visit to town by African American Olympian Wilma Rudolph could not be more exciting. But then Charmaine appears, sporting brand-new sneakers and an aura of confidence that rattles Alta. The girls challenge each other to a few races, each winning and losing, intensifying the competition. Soon enough, though, the competition turns to collaboration and friendship. The girls make one last dash, to Rudolph’s welcome-home parade, where they collapse and observe, “There are flags. Bands. Noise. / Black faces. And white ones.” Alta and Charmaine are inspired by Rudolph’s athletic accomplishments, but her success, as Charmaine points out, includes the efforts of a relay team. What begins as a story of individualism expands to embrace the notion of teamwork and unification, bolstering Rudolph’s influence on the girls and on history itself. Morrison’s bold, expressive watercolors capture the flavor of the era (1960s) with a contemporary tone that will make this story feel strikingly current. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Bulletin for the Center... - 04/01/2016 Narrator Alta admits she’s not the quickest person in Clarksville, Tennessee; that title goes to gold medal Olympian Wilma Rudolph, the honoree of the city’s upcoming parade. Alta does claim, however, to be the fastest running kid, and at least according to her, “everyone around here knows it.” Everyone except that new girl Charmaine, who introduces herself to Alta with hand-on-hip attitude and the cheeky announcement, “Got me some new shoes.” Game on. As Alta and Charmaine race to the mailbox and race to the corner, neither is above a bit of accidentally-on-purpose tripping and rock-kicking to gain advantage. Alta’s resentment smolders as she and her two younger buddies make a huge banner for the parade, and she is none too happy when Charmaine reappears in her glorious track shoes, elbowing in on their banner. But Rudolph worship is one thing they have in common, and when Charmaine proposes that the foursome totes the unwieldy banner to the parade route in Rudolph relay fashion, it’s clear there’s a friendship in the making. Morrison’s watercolor illustrations teem with serio-comic sass, skinny-limbed rivals arch eyebrows and whip braids, while Alta’s little sidekicks watch the face-off with expressions that vary between amused and impressed. Miller and Morrison are, however, a bit vague about the book’s exact time setting: text and author’s note strongly suggest that the parade is the Clarksville watershed celebration that marked the town’s first integrated event, though the illustration of Rudolph inexplicably differs in key details from the included historical photograph. This tale is, however, mainly about rivals turning into friends, and paired with Krull’s outstanding Wilma Unlimited (BCCB 4/96), it will bring Wilma Rudolph back into the spotlight for a new generation. EB - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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