Sakamoto's Swim Club

Sakamoto's Swim Club
Author: Julie Abery
Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd
Total Pages: 40
Release: 2021-05-04
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1525307886

Lyrically told true story of the teacher who coached Hawaiian swimmers to Olympic glory. When the children of workers on a 1930s Maui sugar plantation were chased away from playing in the nearby irrigation ditches, local science teacher Soichi Sakamoto had an idea. He would take responsibility for the children and train them to swim. Using his science background, Sakamoto developed a strict practice regime for the kids, honing their skills and building their strength and endurance. They formed a team and began to dominate events, first nationally and then internationally — until they made it all the way to Olympic gold! Told in simple rhyme, Sakamoto’s story will inspire athletes, coaches — and everyone who believes impossible dreams can come true.

The Three-Year Swim Club

The Three-Year Swim Club
Author: Julie Checkoway
Publisher: Hachette+ORM
Total Pages: 489
Release: 2013-11-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 1455523437

The New York Times bestselling inspirational story of impoverished children who transformed themselves into world-class swimmers. In 1937, a schoolteacher on the island of Maui challenged a group of poverty-stricken sugar plantation kids to swim upstream against the current of their circumstance. The goal? To become Olympians. They faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The children were Japanese-American and were malnourished and barefoot. They had no pool; they trained in the filthy irrigation ditches that snaked down from the mountains into the sugarcane fields. Their future was in those same fields, working alongside their parents in virtual slavery, known not by their names but by numbered tags that hung around their necks. Their teacher, Soichi Sakamoto, was an ordinary man whose swimming ability didn't extend much beyond treading water. In spite of everything, including the virulent anti-Japanese sentiment of the late 1930s, in their first year the children outraced Olympic athletes twice their size; in their second year, they were national and international champs, shattering American and world records and making headlines from L.A. to Nazi Germany. In their third year, they'd be declared the greatest swimmers in the world. But they'd also face their greatest obstacle: the dawning of a world war and the cancellation of the Games. Still, on the battlefield, they'd become the 20th century's most celebrated heroes, and in 1948, they'd have one last chance for Olympic glory. They were the Three-Year Swim Club. This is their story.

Yusra Swims

Yusra Swims
Author: Julie Abery
Publisher: Creative Editions
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2020-02-25
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 9781568463292

A biography in rhyme relates the story of Olympic swimmer and Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini.

First Dog Fala

First Dog Fala
Author: Elizabeth Van Steenwyk
Publisher: Holiday House
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2023-07-25
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1682635929

Meet the Scottish terrier who won the hearts of a United States president and the American people. In 1940, Fala came to live with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the White House. The little dog played in the grass outside the Oval Office, attended important meetings with the president's advisors, and even dined with the president. But as America was drawn into the conflict of a world war, life at the White House changed. Fala accompanied the president across the country and around the world, waiting with him for the return of American servicemen and an end to a terrible war. Author Elizabeth Van Steenwyk offers young readers a glimpse into American history and the life of an American president through the story of a loyal dog. Michael G. Montgomery's full-color illustrations capture the indomitable spirit of Fala and the nation and president who loved him.

Robert Bateman: The Boy Who Painted Nature Read-Along

Robert Bateman: The Boy Who Painted Nature Read-Along
Author: Margriet Ruurs
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Total Pages: 41
Release: 2018-11-13
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1459823311

Celebrated artist Robert Bateman is renowned internationally for bringing the natural world to life on the canvas. A naturalist and painter from his youth, Robert has for decades used his recognition to shed light on environmental issues and advocate for animal welfare. Robert Bateman: The Boy Who Painted Nature is the story of how a young child achieved his dream of painting the world around him and became one of Canada's most famous artists. Using Robert's own personal photographs, sketches and artwork, author Margriet Ruurs weaves a simple story of inspiration and encouragement. A story to motivate all the budding artists and naturalists in your life, with proceeds benefiting The Bateman Foundation.

Grandma Gatewood Hikes the Appalachian Trail

Grandma Gatewood Hikes the Appalachian Trail
Author: Jennifer Thermes
Publisher: Abrams
Total Pages: 48
Release: 2018-05-08
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1683352904

Emma Gatewood’s life was far from easy. In rural Ohio, she managed a household of 11 kids alongside a less-than-supportive husband. One day, at age 67, she decided to go for a nice long walk . . . and ended up completing the Appalachian Trail. With just the clothes on her back and a pair of thin canvas sneakers on her feet, Grandma Gatewood hiked up ridges and down ravines. She braved angry storms and witnessed breathtaking sunrises. When things got particularly tough, she relied on the kindness of strangers or sheer luck to get her through the night. When the newspapers got wind of her amazing adventure, the whole country cheered her on to the end of her trek, which came just a few months after she set out. A story of true grit and girl power at any age, Grandma Gatewood proves that no peak is insurmountable.

Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell
Author: Victoria Sherrow
Publisher: Millbrook Press
Total Pages: 52
Release: 2001-08-01
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1575053012

Growing up, Alexander Graham Bell was fascinated with music, speech, and sounds. He worked hard to invent things that would not only help those with impaired hearing, but also bring people together in new and special ways. What he didn't know was that his simple idea--to help people communicate--would change the world when he invented the telephone.

Swimming and Diving

Swimming and Diving
Author: Allan Morey
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2015-09
Genre: Diving
ISBN: 9781607538097

Presents information about swimming and diving in the Olympics including different types of swimming strokes, different diving events, and synchronized swimming.

Yusra Mardini

Yusra Mardini
Author: Kelly Spence
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2018
Genre: Olympic Games
ISBN: 9780778747116

Read all about the courageous young refugee from Syria who beat all odds to become an Olympic swimmer.