Charlie Takes His Shot

In a quietly affecting story about barrier-breaking golfer Charlie Sifford, Churnin describes the African-American athlete’s lifelong devotion to the game despite systemic racism. As a youth, Sifford became a caddie in order to get on the green in 1930s North Carolina; he later won the Negro National Open multiple times. Sifford’s hopes of playing professionally were ignited when Jackie Robinson wrote a newspaper column in support of Sifford, but even a court win against the Professional Golfer Association didn’t mean an end to mistreatment and abuse. Joven’s soft, smudgy cartoons soften the harder moments of Sifford’s story, and Churnin concludes on a hopeful note: “And now it was possible for everyone who loved the game to play and hear cheers from the crowd.” Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Karen Grencik, Red Fox Literary. (Jan.)