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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspiring story of the woman who surprised the world., 22 Oct 1996
By A Customer
This is a wonderful true story of one woman's accomplishments. Wilma Rudolph was a bouncy child who ran everywhere as soon as she could walk. When she contracted polio and scarlet fever at the same time, the doctor said she would never walk again. But Wilma had a mother who rode the bus with her 50 miles each way twice a week, to the nearest hospital that would treat black patients. She had 21 brothers and sisters to help her exercise and practice until she could walk, first with a brace, then (finally) all on her own. Wilma had watched the other children play for years, and she wanted to play basketball as soon as she could. Wilma's long legs, strength, and determination helped her to lead her high school basketball team to the state championships, where she caught the attention of a track and field coach who offered her a college scholarship. In 1960, Wilma made the US Olympic track and field team. She wasn't expected to win any events, but it was an honor for her just to compete. And then Wilma amazed everyone. She won her first gold medal when she flew past everyone in the 100 meter race -- and then won another in the 200 -- and then she won another gold when she anchored the 4 by 100 meter relay. Wilma Rudolph did what no one else had done before, and she earned the richly deserved title of fastest woman in the world. Her story is proof that strength can overcome almost any disadvantages.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
I liked the cool backgrounds., 1 Jun 1998
By A Customer
I liked Wilma Unlimited by David Diaz because I like to hear about different people from big cities. I don't like some of the figures because their eyes look scary and they don't look like they are real. One thing I really liked about this book were the backgrounds because they were like photos. I like when the author explained Wilma's life, until she died. This story is one of my favorites because she went from being crippled to being a champion.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Wilma Rudolph, Persistence personified, 6 April 1998
By A Customer
A famous businessman once remarked that given a choice among intelligence, wealth, and persistence as the characteristic contributing the most towards success, he would choose persistence. He pointed out that skid row had its share of intelligent men, wealth could be lost in spite of man's best efforts, but persistence enabled a man to persevere in all circumstances, and often to triumph against all odds. Kathleen Krull's Wilma Unlimited, the story of how Wilma Rudolph became the worl'd fastest woman, is a tribute to just such persistence. Born in Clarksville, Tennessee, in 1940, Wilma weighed in at just a little over four pounds and continued to be a small and sickly child in a large supportive family of poor blacks. Just before turning five, Wilma was stricken with polio. Left with a paralyzed leg, Wilma was forced to hop on one foot to get around, and was barred from school because she couldn't walk. Wilma fought back by working hard at her exercises, wearing a heavy steel brace so she could attend school, and eventually, practicing walking without the brace. By twelve, Wilma took the brace off for good, and went on to become a star basketball player in high school and a track-and-field star in college. In 1960, Wilma, despite swelling and pain from a recently twisted ankle, won three Olympic gold medals in running events. David Diaz's bold, bright, stylized illustrations add a strong, colorful, and additional emotional impact to Krull's relation of Wilma's triumphs over extreme physical limitations. Set against sepia-toned backgrounds that contribute textural elements to each layout, Diaz's paintings all but leap off the page. An author's note tells of Wilma's career after retiring as a runner and her efforts to nurture young athletes. Readers young and old are sure to be inspired by this story of one woman's unlimited persistence and world class success in the face of mind- boggling adversity.
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