Picture Book for Older Readers
A Nation’s Hope : The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis
By Matt de la Peña
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2011
African-American Joe Louis’s story is remarkable, and his two boxing matches with German Max Schmeling were some of the most widely anticipated sporting events of their time. A Nation’s Hope chronicles the boxing rematch between Louis and Schmeling at Yankee Stadium in 1938, on the eve of WWII. Americans saw the fight as America vs. Nazi Germany—good vs. evil. Using flashbacks, the book chronicles Joe’s childhood struggles as well as his devastating loss to Schmeling in their first meeting in the ring. De la Peña’s sparse text captures the intense, joyful emotions surrounding Louis’s victory and allows the oil on wood illustrations by Nelson to shine with eloquence. Even though the United States was racially divided in 1938, all Americans joined together to celebrate an American boxing victory over a German from Nazi Germany.
Matt de la Peña’s work includes the highly acclaimed young adult novels Ball Don’t Lie and Mexican Whiteboy. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of the Pacific, receiving a full basketball scholarship to attend. He has his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University, and he currently teaches writing at New York University. In addition to writing the picture book A Nation’s Hope, Matt de la Pena recently wrote the picture book Last Stop on Market Street.
Matt de la Peña’s official website, www.mattdelapena.com
Kadir Nelson’s work has garnered many awards, including the Coretta Scott King and Robert F. Sibert awards. His illustrated books include Henry’s Freedom Box, Heart and Soul, and We Are the Ship. Kadir Nelson has created paintings for a variety of corporate clients, including Sports Illustrated, Major League Baseball, Coca-Cola, and Dreamworks SKG. He is a graduate of the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and Mr. Nelson resides in San Diego with his family.
Kadir Nelson’s official website, www.kadirnelson.com
Feinstein, Stephen. Muhammad Ali. Enslow Elementary, 2008.
Frederick, Shane. Boxing. Creative Education, 2012.
Gordon, Randy. Muhammad Ali. Grosset Dunlap, 2001.
Healy, Nick. Jack Johnson. Raintree, 2003.
Lewin, Ted. At Gleason’s Gym. Roaring Brook Press, 2007.
Myers, Walter Dean. The Greatest: Muhammad Ali. Scholastic, 2001.
Page, Jason. Martial Arts, Boxing, and Other Combat Sports. Crabtree Publishing, 2008.
Smith, Charles R., Jr. Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali, Candlewick Press, 2011.
Widener, Terry. Joe Louis: America’s Fighter. Gulliver Books/Harcourt, 2005.
Last Stop on Market Street. Story by Matt de la Pena, illustrations by Christian Robinson. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2015.
Coretta Scott. Poetry by Ntozake Shange, illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Amistad/Katherine Tegen Books, 2009.
Heart and Soul: The Story of African-Americans. Story and illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Balzer + Bray, 2011.
Henry’s Freedom Box. Story by Ellen Levine, illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Scholastic, 2007.
Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya. Story by Donna Jo Napoli, illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2010.
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. Story by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Hyperion Books for Children, 2006.
Nelson Mandela. Story and illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Katherine Tegen Books, 2013.
Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson. Story by Sharon Robinson, illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Scholastic, 2009.
We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. Story and illustrations by Kadir Nelson. Hyperion Books for Children, 2008.
Draw the outline of a boxing glove on two pieces of construction paper. Make it at least five inches in height. Place lined paper, at least three sheets, between the two pieces of construction paper. Cut out all of the papers at the same time. Punch a hole in one corner of the glove outline. Use a brad to anchor the papers into a book.
Use the ticket outline on the inside back jacket of the book as a template. Be sure to include the time, place, participants, and entry fee if needed.
Format a spreadsheet showing all of Joe Louis’s boxing matches, his opponents, and how the match was decided. Find the ratio of wins to losses in his career of boxing.
After Joe Louis lost to Max Schmeling in their first meeting, the Nazi propaganda machine went into full swing. Research what was written about the fight from the Nazi perspective, and then compare this to what was written in U.S. newspapers. Again, following the second fight between the two men, compare how the boxing match was reported by the Nazi propaganda machine and by the U.S. newspapers.
Research the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin, Germany. How were the athletes treated? Which nation won the most gold medals? Who was Jesse Owens and what did he accomplish? How did the German media portray Jesse Owens? How are the 1936 Olympics viewed today and how were they viewed in 1936?
As a class, compare race relations in the U.S. today vs. 1938. How is there greater racial equality today? How did the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s change life in America? What changes still need to happen? How are African Americans athletes treated today? What events today give you hope or cause you despair for the state of race relations in the U.S. today?
2015-2016 California Young Reader Medal Resource Guide A Nation’s Hope… - page