From Megan McCarthy the award-winning author of Pop! and Earmuffs for Everyone comes the quirky, fascinating, and inspiring story of perseverance and the importance of sportsmanship set at the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Marathon.

It was 1904 and St. Louis was proud to host the World’s Fair and America’s First Olympics. Hundreds of thousands of people came by car, by train, by boat. Part of the Olympics was a wild, wacky marathon. Forty-two racers registered, thirty-two showed up, and of the three racers vying for the finish line: on drove part way, one was helped by his trainers over the line, and one was a postman who travelled from Cuba and ran in street clothes that he cut off to look like shorts. How they ran and who won is a story of twists and turns that only wouldn’t be believed if it weren’t true! And it is! Find out who won in this wacky and well-researched picture book all about the historic Olympic Marathon of 1904. This nonfiction book is about the first Olympic marathon, held on August 30, 1904 in St. Louis, Missouri. The text includes quotes from people and publications of the time, as well as full-color illustrations. The story follows a few runners in the marathon and how they did during the race. When one runner gets cramps, they climb into one of the cars following the racers and rejoin the race later on. Runners were not given much water because it was thought that it was bad for them to drink during a race. Facts are presented with explanations and graphics that help children picture the action and stay engaged in the book. The font is easy to read and the sentences finish on one page. The book ends with information about the runners, including quotations, that provides background information for older readers. Bibliography. Website.

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