Jim Thorpe's Bright Path

New titles give informed views of talented Native American figures. Jim Thorpe's Bright Path by Joseph Bruchac, illus. by S.D. Nelson, is a historical picture-book portrayal of the legendary Olympian and all-American athlete. Bouncing between boarding schools, young Jim never finds academics as compelling as sports. Yet despite the deaths of his twin brother, mother and father over an eight-year period, Thorpe thrives at Carlisle Indian School, his feats there just the beginning of a life filled with athletic success. An author's note and timeline highlight important events in Thorpe's adulthood.