Fighting Spirit: On the Field with Jim Thorpe

by Jessica S. Gunderson, Claude St. Aubin (Illustrator)

In 1920, Howard Tucker is one of the smartest kids at Haskell Indian Boarding School. Unfortunately, this scrawny 15-year-old would rather hang with the jocks than the dweebs. To get a place on the football team, Howard trades some math lessons for football training from another student. And with some advice from Jim Thorpe, he might just get a chance to play in the big game.

56 pages, Library Binding

First published August 1, 2009

Reviews

[Zulabin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good because it tells about a boy that was very smart and he wanted to learn how to football. The captain of the football team was the bully and the kid who wanted to play he was too weak.The kid went up to the bully and said can I play with you guys for the game and he said no because you will just cry and get hurt. The kid said I will make a deal if I help you with your math homework then can you teach me how to play football and if good at playing football then will you let me play. Then he said OK itès a deal.I this this book is great because it has pictures and writing and it is an easy book.This book is great for people how are beginners at reading.This book is a good story because it teaches you that you should stand up and don't be afraid of a bully.This book will tell you to solve a problem by you self.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in the graphic novel format, I was a little unsure of this book. However, I think it's a great introduction to Jim Thorpe, especially for those that have never heard of him. The story includes fictional characters that attend the same school as Thorpe, Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It goes back and forth between the true story of Thorpe and the fictional character that looks up to him as an athlete, alumni of the school, and fellow Native American. I think this would be a good read for students in 3rd-6th grade.

I think this book did a good job of weaving a fictional story in with Thorpe's real life experiences. However, one of the best known stories of his life was not included. It did not share how Thorpe's shoes were stolen the day of the 1912 Olympics. Thorpe ended up winning two gold medals wearing mixed matched shoes he found in the trash! That shows so much determination on his part, and I wish it had been included in this story. All in all it is still a great story to add diversity to a class library, and share a positive Native American story that few people know about.