LEE & LOW BOOKS celebrates its 25th anniversary this year and to recognize how far the company has come, we are featuring one title a week to see how it is being used in classrooms today as well, as hear from the authors and illustrators.
Today, we are celebrating Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path, an inspirational story for children of all backgrounds. A biography of the legendary Native American Jim Thorpe (1888–1953), voted the Greatest Football Player and Greatest Athlete of the Half-Century by two AP polls, focusing on his early childhood and how school and sports shaped his future.
Featured title: Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path
Author: Joseph Bruchac
Illustrator: S.D. Nelson
Synopsis: The biography
of the legendary Native American, Jim Thorpe (1888–1953), focusing on his early childhood and how school and sports shaped his future.
From the day he was born, Jim Thorpe’s parents knew he was special. As the light shone on the road to the family’s cabin, his mother gave Jim another name — Wa-tho-huck — “Bright Path.”
Jim’s athletic skills were evident early on, as he played outdoors and hunted with his father and twin brother. When the boys were sent to Indian boarding school, Jim struggled in academics but excelled in sports. Jim moved from school to school over the years, overcoming family tragedies, until his athletic genius was recognized by Coach Pop Warner at the Carlisle Indian School.
Awards and Honors:
- Carter G. Woodson Book Award Honor, National Council for Social Studies
- Choices, Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC)
- Teachers’ Choices, International Reading Association (IRA)
- Best of the Best List, Chicago Public Library, Children & YA Services
- Storytelling World Resource Award, Storytelling World magazine
Check out this interview with author, Joseph Bruchac, about Native American literature.
From the author:
“My inspiration for this book was, quite simply, Jim Thorpe himself. Jim has been a hero of mine for decades and I felt that the story of how he managed to find triumph and self- realization out of tragedy and loneliness– through sports– would be interesting and inspirational to young readers.
Reflecting on this years after writing the book, and decades after first learning about Jim’s amazing life reminds me of several things. One is that, like Jim, if we just do not give up we may accomplish things. Another is that it is important to believe in yourself– even when others do not. And a third thing is the importance of family in our lives. Jim never lost sight of that.” –Joseph Bruchac
Resources for teaching with Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path:
- Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path Teacher’s Guide from LEE & LOW BOOKS
- Grade 4 Unit: Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path
- Eisenhower Grade 4 Unit: Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path
- Indian Education For All: Grade 4 Model Teaching Unit
- JeopardyLabs: Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path
Discover other books like Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path with the Joseph Bruchac Collection!
Book Activities:
- Draw attention to the use of similes in the book. For example: Jim took to it all like a catfish takes to a creek. It made him (Jim) feel like a fox caught in an iron trap. Epidemics of influenza swept through like prairie fires. Have students try to write their own similes for other events or actions in the story.
- Ask students to explore the National Track & Field Hall of Fame (www.usatf.org ) or the Pro Football Hall of Fame (www.profootballhof.com ) and plan an imaginary trip there or enjoy a visual visit on the Web.
Have you used Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path? Let us know!
Celebrate with us! Check out our 25 Years Anniversary Collection
Veronica has a degree from Mount Saint Mary College and joined LEE & LOW in the fall of 2014. She has a background in education and holds a New York State childhood education (1-6) and students with disabilities (1-6) certification. When she’s not wandering around New York City, you can find her hiking with her dog Milo in her hometown in the Hudson Valley, NY.
