ACorettaScottKingAwardwinnerandaPuraBelpr矇IllustratorHonorwinnerpairupforarousingpicturebookbiography-in-verseoflegendaryAfricanAmericancyclistMarshall“Major“TaylorandtheSix-DayRace.Onehundredyearsago,oneofthemostpopularspectatorsportswasbicycleracing,andthemantobeatwasMarshall“Major“Taylor,whosetrecordsinhisteensandwonhisfirstworldchampionshipbyagetwenty.ThefirstAfricanAmericanworldchampionincyclingandthesecondBlackathletetowinaworldchampionshipinanysport,MajorTaylorfaceddownchallengeafterchallenge,notleastthegruelingSix-DayRace,atestofspeed,strength,andendurance.Withenergy,heart,andpoundingverse,CharlesR.SmithJr.evokestheexcitementofthecrowdatMadisonSquareGardenasMajorpoweredthroughexhaustion,hallucinations,andracistabusefromfellowriders,whotriedtocrashhisbikethroughoutthecompetition.LeoEspinosa’sdynamicillustrationscapturetheaction,andasdaysixdrawstoaclose,andMajor’soddsnarrow,thereislittledoubtthathistriumphantriseandlegacyasaninternationalcyclingchampionareassured--whatevertheoutcomeofonerace--inthishigh-octanetributetoatrailblazingathlete.
