Books with author Frederick McKissack

"I always loved running," said Jesse Owens, who as a boy could outrun all his playmates. When he competed in the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, people used words like "express" and "comet" to describe him. Owens won an amazing four Olympic gold medals in track and field events—and demonstrated to the world that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's theory of racial inferiority was wrong. An athlete, humanitarian, speaker, and author, Owens dedicated his later years to helping the youth of America reach for greatness.

A natural-born athlete, Jomo Rogers has talent that is easy to spot on the football field, and reporters and college recruiters are taking notice. But the buzz is focused on his potential, on his promise, while Jomo is ready to become the “next big thing” now. And since natural talent can only take a player so far, Jomo supplements his abilities with tougher workouts, more weights, longer runs…and steroids. An edgy and eloquent debut novel, Shooting Star brings sports headlines to life and shows how a young man’s drive can result in his downfall.

"Don’t wait for opportunities to come . . . get up and make them!" said Madam C. J. Walker. She rose from laundry woman to become America’s first black woman millionaire. Born in poverty, Walker set her sights on a better life and made her fortune by developing hair care and beauty products specially formulated for African Americans. As her wealth and influence grew, she also channeled her energies into working for civil rights and social change. This real-life rags-to-riches story comes to life in an engaging narrative by the McKissacks.

A natural-born athlete, Jomo Rogers has talent that is easy to spot on the football field, and local reporters are taking notice. But the buzz keeps focusing on his potential, on his promise. Jomo doesn’t want to be the “next big thing.” He wants to be the real deal . . . in as little time as possible. He adopts a new workout regimen, complete with more weights, longer runs—and steroids. A gritty, witty, and eloquent youngadult debut, Shooting Star takes on the sports headlines and brings to the page a young man whose drive is about to make his life spiral out of control.