© 2005 Terry Widener
Client: Harcourt Publishers
Medium: Acrylic on Paper
Size: Various sizes
Use: Children's Book
Title: "Joe Louis, America's Fighter"

AWARDS

Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2006, the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children's Book Council
A star in the 10/15/05 edition of Kirkus.

REVIEWS

The Dallas Morning News,Thursday February 15, 2006
Black History Month: Stories that inspire
Joe Louis: America's Fighter
By David A. Adler, Terry Widener, illustrator
Gulliver Books/Harcourt, $16         Ages 6-9
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt first met Joe Louis he felt his arms and said, "Joe, we're depending on those muscles for America." This is one of many neat facts in this book, which highlights when America was at war with the Nazis and the heavyweight champ defeated German Max Schmeling.
The author takes readers from Mr. Louis' humble beginnings to his death in 1981. The illustrator's action shots are so believable, you can almost hear the crowd roar.
COOL EXTRA: Extra fun facts in the Author's Notes in the back of the book.

Star From Kirkus 10/15/05
Adler and Widener offer a straightforward, beautifully illustrated biography of the legendary boxer. The grandson of slaves, Joe Louis Barrow moved from his native Alabama to Detroit with his large family at the age of 12. A visit to Brewster's Gym kindles his dream of becoing a professional fighter. (He loses the "Barrow" because his name's too long for an entry form.) After being knocked down seven times in his first amateur fight, Louis trains even harder, scoring a first-round knockout in his professional debut and earning the nickname "Brown Bomber." The story covers his rise to the top during the Great Depression, including his victory over a white boxer, his dramatic bouts with German champion Max Schmeling; and his decision to join the Army. Another perfect
marriage of words and pictures from an award-winning team, simple direct prose presents the facts while powerful paintings evoke both the greatness of the man and the glory of his achievements. Backmatter includes additional interesting facts about Louis' life and the author's sources.

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-6–This creative team's collaboration packs a powerful punch. Born in Alabama in 1914, Joseph Louis Barrow, grandson of slaves, grew up in a small farmhouse with no electricity or running water. His father was sent to a state hospital for the Colored Insane when the boy was two. In 1926, his mother remarried, and the family moved to Detroit. When he wasn't working or attending class, Joe would box with his friends. After one visit to a gym to see some real boxers, he was hooked; he went on to win almost every fight on the amateur circuit. In 1934, Louis turned pro. Though early fights against whites were racially charged, perceptions shifted in '36 when he fought Max Schmeling, who represented Nazi Germany. Devastated when he lost this pivotal match, Louis won the rematch in '38, becoming the new world champion and a hero for all Americans. The author's notes mention the racist jungle images in early press coverage and that Schmeling saved children from the Nazis and later became friends with Louis. The action-packed acrylics capture the setting and emotions–Widener's signature muscular figures are particularly apt here. Expressive faces reveal a mother's grief at the sight of her bloodied, battered son; the ring announcer's concern about public reaction to the 1935 mixed-race fight between Louis and Primo Carnera, and more. Pair this title with Tonya Bolden's The Champ: The Story of Muhammad Ali (Knopf, 2004) for a knockout unit on African-American sports heroes.–Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 2-4. In Adler and Widener's latest picture-book biography, forceful text and pictures tell how Louis, the grandson of slaves, found his niche in what he termed a "no-place-to-go world." Both contributors play down the controversial aspects of a sport that many believe glorifies violence, focusing instead on an underprivileged child's achievements through unstinting effort and avoiding graphic depictions of punches and injuries. Dominating the narrative are Louis' historic matches with Germany's Max Schmeling, events that spurred Americans to form an unprecedented united front in support of a black champion. Widener paints in his trademark muscular oils, reminiscent of WPA murals. Although this style beautifully captures his subject's grim determination and imposing physique, it also somewhat disconcertingly reflects the era's biases in depicting blacks with slightly caricatured facial features. Bulleted author's notes and a brief summary of sources conclude. For more pugilism in picture books, see Tonya Bolden and R. Gregory Christie's wilder The Champ: The Story of Muhammad Ali (2004) or William Miller and Rodney S. Pate's fictional My Hero, Joe Louis (2004). Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Kirkus Reviews :
"Another perfect marriage of words and pictures from an award-winning team"

Children's Literature - Susie Wilde
Writer David Adler and illustrator Terry Widener collaborate for the third time in this title. Joe's early years of poverty teach him to fight for what he wants in life. When he discovers boxing at seventeen, he feels "power pumping through him" and he knows he has found his way. Louis goes on to become the "punching machine" called the "Brown Bomber" who cheers African Americans during the depression until his retirement in 1949, undefeated as a world champion. Emotions are well described and the book's setting well defined by both illustration and words, giving both a sense of era and the man. 2005, Harcourt, Ages 7 to 10.