She Broke A Ribbon and More!

art by Sarah S. Brannen

         Visit Alyson Beecher on Wednesdays for Non-Fiction Picture Books at Kidlit Frenzy.  From her and others, you will discover and want to celebrate terrific nonfiction picture books!  

          I am old enough that I remember that girls could not wear pants to school, could not participate in sports except in intramurals. That means we only formed teams to play each other in school-wide competitions. In college, women were only allowed to wear pants when the temperature reached 20 degrees or below. Yes, I am older, but it was not so long ago. Bobbi Gibb ran her first marathon in 1966, sneaked into the crowd of runners, was not recognized until years later as having completed it  "officially". 

          Annette Pimental focuses on Bobbi starting with her childhood, having to wear a dress to school, but changing immediately after school and running, then running more, and loving it. The text reads: "She is fast." And as for this Boston Marathon, the course is laid out and comes near where Bobbi lived, so she watches the runners go by and her "legs twitch to join the race". On one page, Annette shares that early running fever of Bobbi's, showing her running through town, using nurse's shoes because no company makes running shoes for women. And "People stare. Is that a girl running?" 

         Amazing changes have happened in those years since Bobbi was growing up, and running! As we celebrate Women's History Month, it is a wonderful thing to learn of those women who "broke the ribbon" set before them, those who carried on their passions, for themselves and for all of us who came after. 

         Micha Archer's oil and collage illustrations serve beautifully for the constant movement in this story of Bobbi Gibb. I love that she's added timelines of the marathon run at the bottom of certain pages. Each page accompanies Annette Pimental's words with action, like Bobbi's beginning run through an autumn forest or scenes from her trip across the country, even the page when Bobbi's Boston Marathon application is rejected and a crumpled letter flies across the room. My favorite part, however, is when Annette tells of Bobbi hiding in the bushes, preparing to jump out and join the race for her first time, the only woman! What courage she showed to jump in! And how wonderful it was that so many of those running and the crowds watching cheered her on!

        In addition to this inspiring story, Annette has added an Afterword, a note on names and a selected bibliography. I hope many teachers read this book to their students, inspiring both boys and girls to follow their dreams.