In “The Quickest Kid in Clarksville” by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Frank Morrison, Alta was the fastest runner in Clarksville, Tenn. — and everybody knew it.
But she wasn’t as fast as Olympic gold medalist Wilma Rudolph, and that made her dream. What would it be like to have three Olympic medals hanging around her neck?
And then some girl Alta had never met before came “sashaying” over with the whitest shoes Alta had ever seen. She said her name was Charmaine and her shoes sparkled — they were just made for running. Alta’s shoes had holes in them, but shoes can’t tell who’ll win a race.
Alta challenged Charmaine to a race — and won.
Charmaine challenged Alta to another race — and Charmaine won.
Alta was sure that was because Charmaine tripped her. Or because Alta’s toe was poking out of the front of her shoe, which really made her sad because Mama said those shoes had to last.
Another day, Charmaine came by, strutting “like she’s queen of the block.” Alta wasn’t having any of that; she far preferred to remember that Wilma Rudolph, the fastest woman alive, was coming to town to be in a parade. Maybe Wilma might even see the banner she made, and she wave.
As Alta started to run to the parade route with the banner, she suddenly realized that the banner was heavy and awkward and there’d be no way she’d get to the parade in time.
How would she ever make it?
Nobody likes to lose, but there are times when losing isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes, it means winning and “The Quickest Kid in Clarksville” shows your child how that works.
Miller’s main character has scads of charm, but it’s a confident boldness that kids just can’t miss. Thanks to artwork by Morrison, the fierceness never leaves Alta’s face, even when her new adversary steps into the ’hood — a frenemy who’s surprisingly equal to Alta — leading to a show-down, an ultimate olive branch, and an ending that’ll make you smile.
If your kids are curious, Miller also includes a page on the real Wilma Rudolph, putting this book into further prospective.
“The Quickest Kid in Clarksville” by Pat Zietlow Miller [40 pages, 2016, $16.99].
Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill with two dogs and 12,000 books.
