Just prior to Olivia’s big surgery, a dear friend sent me a wonderful book to share with her. Wilma Unlimited became an instant favorite and served as a huge inspiration to Olivia. Wilma Rudolph, for those who don’t know of her, was an amazing Olympic gold medal runner during the 1960’s. Even more amazing is the fact that Rudolph contracted polio as a child. While she obviously didn’t have CP, she did have to wear braces, and this was something that Olivia could definitely identify with. Wilma Rudolph became her personal hero, someone who could demonstrate what it means to overcome diversity. I highly recommend this book!
About the book: Before Wilma Rudolph was five years old, polio had paralyzed her left leg. Everyone said she would never walk again. But Wilma refused to believe it. Not only would she walk again, she vowed, she’d run. And she did run–all the way to the Olympics, where she became the first American woman to earn three gold medals in a single olympiad. This dramatic and inspiring true story is written by Kathleen Krull who is well known for her innovative, award-winning nonfiction for young readers. It is illustrated in bold watercolor and acrylic paintings by Caldecott Medal-winning artist David Diaz.