Before Usain Bolt or Tyson Gay, Bob Beamon or Carl Lewis, Jesse Owens was perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history.

Jesse Owens was born on a farm to a large family with many siblings. His grandparents had been slaves, and his sharecropper parents were poor. But against all odds, Jesse went on to become one of the greatest athletes in history. He learned to run with such grace that people said he was a "floating wonder."

After setting multiple world records as a college athlete, including three in less than an hour—"the greatest 45 minutes in sport"—Owens competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Adolf Hitler intended for the games to display Aryan superiority, but Jesse disrupted that plan. He became the first American track-and-field athlete to receive four Olympic gold medals and established his legacy as a hero in the face of prejudice.

This child friendly entry in David A. Adler's well-known series contains an accessible mix of biography, facts, and history supported with lifelike illustrations. Back matter includes an author's note and a timeline.

For almost thirty years, David Adler’s Picture Book Biography series has profiled famous people who changed the world. Colorful, kid-friendly illustrations combine with Adler’s “expert mixtures of facts and personality” (Booklist) to introduce young readers to history through compelling biographies of presidents, heroes, inventors, explorers, and adventurers. These books are ideal for first and second graders interested in history or who need reliable sources for school book reports.

-Amazon description

excellent - Lois Metzler

I did not know of Jesse Owens before I read this book. I was never really interested in any Olympic games but Jesse Owens is definitely a name I will remember. Jesse Owens was a part of the 1936 Olympic Games.He was alive during Hitler's time. I really like how this book mentions how Hitler thought African Americans were inferior and could not win. But Jesse Owens proved he was wrong. I really like how this book gives a snippet on what type of historical setting he was a part of. I also really enjoyed how this book tells his life after the Olympic games. It shows readers that life does not end there. ( )

I liked the book A Picture Book of Jesse Owens. The two reasons I liked the book was the writing and the book pushes the readers. A Picture Book of Jesse Owens focuses on his own life story about where he started to where he ended up. The writing and the message pushed on readers puts a different perspective on life.
The first reason I liked the book was the writing. The writing in the story was detailed with specific dates and times of the major events. The beginning of the story shows Jesse Owens life before the Olympics and how he grew up. As the story progresses it shows Jesse Owen’s progression in life and when he started the track running. The writing of the book is descriptive with specific times and dates which makes the story feel truthful and factual. Once the writing gets into Jesse Owens in the Olympics there was real running times and his records included in the writing which puts in perspective how good he really was.
The second reason for liking the book was it pushes the readers to think about possible outcomes they have faced and how to preserve through them. Jesse Owens came from a rough childhood, his parents were sharecroppers and his grandparents were slaves. Jesse Owens then moved with his family which is where he discovered his talent for running. The book pushes readers to think of times where maybe there were obstacles in the way of something, but regardless they pushed through. Jesse Owens had many obstacles when it comes to his life and he pushed through all of them to succeed in his passion for running. The message is pushed on readers and I think having a book that is factual allows for readers to truly see that it is possible.
The big idea of the story was to show readers anything is possible if you work for it. Jesse Owens basically came from nothing and he took a chance in running, which became part of his whole life. The message is important because it shows readers that no matter how hard the goal is, or what gets in the way of it there is still hope for it to come true. ( )

“A Picture Book of Jesse Owens”

I liked the book “A Picture Book of Jesse Owens” for two reasons. I liked how the pictures were an important part of the story since it is a picture book. For example, there is a part of the book that is about Jesse Owens proving Hitler wrong because he said that African Americans were inferior and could not beat Germany. However, Jesse Owens did beat Germany and everyone else. The Olympic runner for Germany was not angry that he lost, but shook Jesse Owen’s hand. In the book, there is a picture of the runner from Germany and Jesse Owens smiling and shaking hands. I would have understood the passage without the picture, but having the picture makes it more powerful and understandable.
I also liked this book because it encourages readers to push themselves to be their best. Jesse Owens came from very humble beginnings. We lived in a wooden shack when he was little and when he and his family moved to Cleveland, all the family members had to work, but they were still poor. Even though he worked hard to earn money, he also worked hard to become a great runner. It also encourages readers to think about racial relations and how Jesse Owens and his success broke down racial barriers, even if it was just for a moment.
This book was about the life of Jesse Owens. He is an Olympic gold medalists and he broke several world records. He became a hero of the 1936 Summer Olympics by proving Nazi’s wrong just by being who was and by working hard. The message of this book is that heroism comes from hard work, determination, and strength, which is something we can all achieve. ( )