(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. From the hardships of her Georgia childhood through the 1948 London Olympics at which she won gold and became a legend, this biography stands out for the little-known details it includes (e.g., her dance performance aboard the London-bound ship). Cooper's grainy, sepia-hued pastels are striking; endnotes with more about Coachman and the historic 1948 Olympics round out the thorough text. Websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Alice Coachman dreamed of athletic success as a "never-sit-still girl" in Depression-era Georgia. Her high-jumping career took off in high school, and in 1948 she became the first black female to win Olympic gold. The drama of Malaspina's free-verse telling is mirrored by Velasquez's emotive oil paintings. Appended archival photographs and an author's note expand the inspirational story. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen