Time For Kids: Jackie Robinson: Strong Inside and Out (Time for Kids… (edition 2005)

This "Time for Kids - Biographies" collection is amazing. I've read 5 of them and every single one was so interesting. You can get a lot of new facts about important people in history but in a simple and playful way. Children would not even notice that they are broadening their common knowledge by reading these books. Highly recommendable for reading non-fiction! ( )

44 pages
5-6th grade
Survey Book
This book is an interesting biography of Robinson’s amazing life. It tells his story from birth to death, focusing primarily on his time as a ball player. With constant asides and footnotes, Jackie Robinson packs as much pertinent information into forty-four pages as possible. His story is told thoroughly and delicately, making sure to explain the diseased racial climate of the mid-twentieth century. My only real criticism would be that the constant thumbnails and footnotes become distracting, and for a child who has trouble concentrating, they could be a hindrance.
Due to the almost “pamphlet-style” organization of this book, I would only use it as a free reading option for my students. It is well-written and informative book, but would be better serve a child who could spend time looking at the pictures and footnotes at his or her own pace. ( )

Jackie Robinson: Strong Inside and Out is an illustrated book for emerging readers. Robinson's legendary status as the man who integrated baseball in the modern major leagues in 1947 is well known. His incredible patience and strength in the face of racist taunts, balls thrown at his head and death threats would be a wonderful lesson for students. "Jackie's nine rules to live by" show that he lived by a code of ethics not often seen -- or at least publicized -- in athletes today. ( )

I grew up hearing stories about the great Jackie Robinson and I was happy to see new books are coming out to keep his memory alive to today's children. I always feel like my problems are so small when I read about what Jackie went through while breaking baseball's color barrier.

This book is great for Black History, American History, and just inspiring middle readers of all races on what is possible with perseverance. ( )