Bibliography
Peña, Matt de la. 2011. Ill. by Kadir Nelson. A Nation’s Hope: The
Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN
978-0803731677
Brief plot summary
On the eve of World War
II, Joe Louis, African-American son of a sharecropper father, fought German Max
Schmeling, a representative of Hitler’s Master Race. This was a time when all things German were viewed as a
threat to America and when Jim Crow Laws were in effect and America was still
segregated. However, this boxing match allowed Americans to put aside prejudice
and brought together Black and White Americans in support of Joe Louis as a
hero representing America’s war with Germany. A brief biography of Joe Louis is told within the story.
Critical analysis
This biographical picture
book successfully engages the reader as it recounts an emotional, historic
event through its brief, poetic, text and spectacular illustrations. Through
the use of flashback, highlights of Joe Louis’s life are traced from his quiet boyhood
in Jim Crow America to his rise as an outstanding boxer and a national hero.
Themes explored in the book include identity and nationality, humility,
failure, and realizing personal dreams through hard work.
The realistic illustrations
were painted with oils on wood and transport the reader into the boxing ring
and into the arena. The illustrations utilize their emotional power to expand
on the content of the text. The close-up portraits are powerful.
Young readers may lack the
background knowledge and historical context to grasp the importance of this
fight in American history. Also, in the story, since Max Schmeling represents
the threat of Germany and he was not himself a member of the Nazi Party, his
portrayal seems stereotyped. However, both these issues can easily be addressed
in the classroom or through additional research and reading.
Review excerpts
“…this
was a struggle of good against evil, with Louis just about the only man willing
to take on Hitler. De la Peña’s succinct text and Nelson’s intensely beautiful
paintings don’t require much more time than Louis needed for Schmeling. But
some 70 years later, the story is no less stirring.” – The New York Times Book Review
"Spare,
evocative verse melds with the eloquent illustrations to create palpable energy
around the fight and Louis's struggle to the top." --Publishers Weekly
(starred)
"Spectacularly
illustrated and smoothly cadenced." --Booklist (starred)
"Stunning
art and dramatic storytelling." --School Library Journal (starred)
"de
la Peña's tersely poetic narration is riveting, and Nelson's oil paintings draw
viewers directly into the ring." --BCCB (starred)
Awards / Best Books
New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books,
2011
Booklist Editor's Choice Best Books of 2011
Booklist Top 10 Biographies for Youth of 2011
Booklist Editor's Choice Best Books of 2011
Booklist Top 10 Biographies for Youth of 2011
Booklist Top
10 Sports Books for Youth of 2011
School
Library Journal Best Books of 2011
Classroom Connections
In the middle or upper
grade classroom:
Students can pair this
book with newspaper articles about the earlier fighting match between Louis and
Schmeling and do a compare/contrast activity of the two events.
Students can research to
learn more about Max Schmeling and then follow-up with a discussion on
propaganda.
Students can identify the
major themes of the book, identity and nationalism, and discuss how Joe Louis
and his big fight address them.
Students reading Watsons Go to Birmingham can do a “step
back” to see how Joe Louis served as an inspiration for Kenny’s father.
Related Books:
·
Curtis,
Christopher Paul. Watsons Go to
Birmingham. ISBN: 978-0385321754
·
Jordan,
Deloris Rosalyn M. Jordan, and Kadir Nelson, Ill. Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream. ISBN: 978-0689833717
·
Michaelson,
Richard and Eric Velasquez. Twice as Good.
ISBN: 978-1585364664
·
Nelson, Kadir.
We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro
League Baseball. ISBN: 978-0786808328
· Peña,
Matt de la. Ball Don’t Lie. ISBN: 978-0385734257
·
Pinkney,
Andrea. Bird in a Box. ISBN: 978-0316074025
·
Sharenow,
Robert. The Berlin Boxing Club. ISBN: 978-0061579684
·
Smith, Jr.,
Charles R. Stars in the Shadows: The Negro
League All-Star Game of 1934. ISBN: 978-0689866388.
