Famous Firsts

What do snowboarding, BMX, water skiing, and cheerleading have in common? They are all activities that were invented by innovative and imaginative Americans. These cool ways to get moving began as fun ideas, then developed into wildly popular international sports. Who were the groundbreaking Americans that were courageous enough to take a risk and share their passions with the world? And how did they come up with their ideas? Famous Firsts: The Trendsetters, Groundbreakers, and Risk-Takers Who Got America Moving answers these questions and lets readers in on many little-known facts. Did you know that in the 1700s surfers used to hang-ten on 100-pound trees? That the first cheerleader was a man with a plan? That snowboarding was set in motion during a Minnesota snowstorm when a little girl wanted to surf? Readers will also hear from famous contemporary athletes who have added their own radical twists and firsts to the different sports.

Famous Firsts features photos of and personal stories from American athletes including skateboard legends Tony Hawk, Tony Alva, and Alan “Ollie” Gelfand, BMX pros Mat Hoffman and Cory Coffey, skate and snowboard phenom Shaun White, University of Maryland cheerleader and Survivor cast member Penny Ramsey, pro-surfer Bethany Hamilton, and Libby Riddles, the first woman to ever win the Iditarod.

Once readers learn about the origins of these unique sports and activities, they'll be inspired to get moving! The book includes a bonus section with tips on creating your own game or sport! Who knows? Maybe it'll be the next popular way to get moving!

Awards and Reviews:

Selected for VOYA's 13th Annual Nonfiction Honor List. This annotated list for middle and junior high students featured thirty titles that have been highly recommended by the VOYA selection committee (Aug. 2008)

“Rompella’s snappy text packs in lots of information ... readers will find fascinating details in every profile—from barefoot-water-skiers’ trade secret (superglue!) to the surprising fact that the inventor of the cheerleading pom-pom was a man. Trivia, lingo, safety caveats, and small but wellchosen photos accompany each featured sport ... Reluctant readers ... will find the subject matter absorbing enough to keep them in the zone.” – Booklist, Sept. 2007

“Rompella has created an appealing collage of sports that were created in America and encouraged the participation of the average person ... outstanding action-shots ... this book may pique even the reluctant reader's interest to further explore each sport.” – Library Media Connection, Jan. 2008

• Recommended by Peggy Sharp, children's literature consultant and publisher of New Book News
• Featured by the Elgin CourierNews, part of Suburban Chicago News
• Featured on scienceforfamilies.com

Customer Reviews:

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