Perfect Timing: How Isaac Murphy Became One of the World's Greatest Jockeys

by Patsi B. Trollinger, Jerome Lagarrigue (Illustrator)

Featuring stunning paintings that capture the excitement and movement of horse racing, a nonfiction picture book tells the story of Isaac Murphy, the grandson of slaves who escaped forced labor to become one of the most successful jockeys in the history of racing.

Genres: Biography, Picture Books, African American, Sports, Horses, Nonfiction, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 21, 2006

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing is a biographical children’s book about Isaac Murphy, a famous African American jockey. It begins by setting up basic background information necessary to the story. Isaac works for his mother’s laundry business. One day when carrying a delivery to the Owings’ house, he attracts the attention of Mr. Owings, who is in need of new jockeys. Due to Isaac’s small stature he is the perfect size to be a jockey. Through multiple tries and determination he is able to ride his first horse, despite the horse, Volcano, being young and nervous. This earns him a place in “jockey school”. This school had no desks, just Isaac, Eli the trainer and horses. Isaac learns the most important lesson for being a jockey is pace. Each horse has a proper pace, knowing when to hold back the horse to save energy and when to let it run full tilt. Pacing a horse was the central strategy of horse racing. Not only does he learn important lessons from Eli, but also from the older more experienced jockeys during coffee breaks. After two years he is finally ready to race. Real races were very different from training. The noise, the chaos disrupts his train of thought, and his first race ends in failure. This does not stop him. By the time it is time to race again he is ready. His skill and sense of pacing leads him to many victories, no matter the horse or color of silks he wears. Even when he got married, he still continued to race. In a particularly dramatic race, between himself and a jockey named Snapper Garrison, Isaac is able to win and tie the world record for a 1 mile horse race because of good pacing. Because of his “perfect timing” he was soon known as the best jockey in the world. As he got older, he found the strains on his health from his strict weight management to be more and more difficult to manage. Eventually his spring diets lead him to become incredibly sick after contracting pneumonia. He died February 12th, 1896. Five hundred people showed up to fill the streets of Lexington, KY for his funeral procession. Today he is buried on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park.

This book is an excellent and accessible book for young readers interested in horses, horse racing, or history. The text is informative without being too dry. It tells a complete biography of an important figure in horse racing history. The illustrations throughout the book appear to be soft watercolor pictures, almost like what one would expect of paintings done in a time before widespread use of cameras. They appear to be realistic portrait and landscape illustrations. This fits the theme of the book and augments every page. When paired with a social studies class, this book makes for an excellent read aloud book as a way to introduce ideas through a picture book. It can also be a lesson in perseverance. Isaac succeeded because he kept trying despite setbacks. By building a lesson around a real historical figure, students can be encouraged to go out and find information about Isaac Murphy not included in the book. In the back of the book there is an Author’s note, going into more detail about Isaac’s life and context for the book. This could be excellent for older elementary school students when studying post Civil War 1800’s America. I recommend this book to any young reader interested in any of the topics that it covers.

[Hailey Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the famous Isaac Murphy as a Kentucky jockey. It starts explaining how he got to become a jockey by first just being a free boy who came from a family of past slaves. He would help his mother deliver laundry that she had washed and done for a living. He arrived at a stable where they were in need of a new jockey and they saw Isaac as a perfect trainee. He started off rough but grew better each time he rode while in jockey school with the help of his mentor Eli Jordan. He started to become one of the best jockeys there was winning many races and became famous. He. Met his wife and continued his career even stronger. As he grew older, he was having more trouble keeping his weight down during riding seasons, so he would crash diet, which was negatively affecting his health. This caused him to pass away in 1896. He was so very loved and remembered after he was buried under Kentucky Horse Park. He is known as the best jokey there ever was. The ending page shows a timeline of Isaacs life, as well as an authors note about why Isaac was in the perfect time for his amazing life.
The internal illustrations seemed to be a let down for me. There wasn’t much extra information given by them and they were hard to see any details. I’m guessing the fuzziness was purposeful, but I don’t feel like it fits the story very well. It seemed like the pictures just showed either exactly what the words on that page said, or a small part of it. I definitely feel like it could have had more to it.
The cover art is the same. It is hard to see, but I like how it at least gives the reader a little information about what the book is. It shows Isaac winning a race by being ahead of the other horses. The back cover is interesting because it shows the maneuver that Isaac used to win the race right before the end to give the horse more motivation. Although I do think there could have been more to the covers to interest readers more and get them excited to read it.
I liked the message behind this book and the story as a whole in Kentucky history. However, I am not a fan of how this book was carried out. I think the text/story could have been told with more excitement and fun, as well as the illustrations could have been more interesting. I feel like it could have been better.
This book could be used to help teach a couple things in schools. I would use it to teach about Kentuckys horse history and how it has always been a big, important thing in our state. It could also be used to teach about black history and the accomplishments made. Lastly, it could be used to teach about healthy diets are the most important things to our bodies, no mater the amount of exercise or accomplishments.
The age recommendation is 7 years and up. I agree because of the way it is written and focused on the text.

[Marc Blunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical Picture book
Perfect Timing: How Isaac Murphy became one of the World's Greatest Jockeys, written by Patsi B. Trollinger, and illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue.

The cover is majestic with pastel colors and watercolors of jockeys riding horses in competition. This story hit home as it takes place in Lexington, Louisville and surrounds horse racing in which is a staple of history, and life in Kentucky. If this book did not receive a Caldecott medal, it definitely deserved to. The art work is fantastic and gives life to the story. I enjoyed the blurry paintings because they made the book feel historic, distant, or even instilling a sense of movement to the pages.

The picture book tells the story of a valiant young African American who by chance (right place, right time, right size) was chosen to ride horses at the age of 12, as a jockey. Isaac was making deliveries in Lexington, Kentucky at the Owings home. There he was asked to ride a horse. After falling off the first time, Murphy was able to stay on a rambunctious horse named Volcano, and was offered the opportunity to train at jockey school. Murphy trained under Eli Jordan but took lessons from other jockeys and drew from his experiences.

After losing his first race, Isaac Murphy would go on to find love and an unsurpassed record of wins including 4 American Derby wins, and 4 Kentucky Derby wins. However, Isaac practiced unhealthy diet habits in order to remain his slim and petite size, often starving himself. After his last race where he rode an underdog whom was accustomed to finishing last, and like a dark horse, Isaac won the race with his "Perfect Timing." He had racing down to an art, and still holds the best average of wins (Won 44% of his races) and it was believed in his prime, that he was unbeatable. When preparing for his next racing season, Murphy developed pneumonia and passed away on February 12, 1986, but his Legacy lives on in history books, story books, record books, and folklore. Isaac Murphy is the only jockey buried at the Kentucky Horse Park. This book would make a wonderful addition to black history month. It's an excellent read for horde racing enthusiasts, African Americans, Kentuckians, and horse lovers. I recommend this book for the ages 5-9. It has historical importance so I feel the older children will appreciate it and recall it better than younger readers.

[Cecelia Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing by Patsi Trollinger
This book tells the story of Isaac Murphy, a world renown jockey. Isaac grew up a strong worker, he would carry materials for his mother’s laundry service. Although he was a free black boy, in Kentucky there were not many places young black boys could go to get an education. One day Isaac went to the stables, where he was offered to learn how to ride a thoroughbred horse. Isaac was just the right size to learn to ride and hopefully become a great jockey. While he failed his first time up, Isaac was determined and got back up for a second try. This time he succeeded and got offered a spot in jockey school. Isaac would soon learn all that needed to be done to take care of a horse and keep pace on the racetrack. He was on the track day after learning and keeping pace so that he was ready for the real race. The first competition did not go so well, Isaac was distracted by the noise and couldn’t concentrate on the timing. When the next race came about, Isaac was ready, and he held perfect time. This made him well known and people began begging him to ride for them. Any horse Isaac got on; he would lead them to victory. He was great at keeping time and pace for the horse he was on. It wasn’t long before Isaac began to win the biggest of horse races. Eventually he got married and continued to ride. At the age of 36 Isaac passed away due to pneumonia, his diet was so restricted that it created health problems. Jockeys from far and wide came to show their love and support for the greatest jockey, Isaac Murphy. I really enjoyed learning about Isaac, especially because I do not know much about horse racing. This story was enjoyable as I learned some about Kentucky and its culture for horse racing. The illustrations were helpful as well, and they went along nicely with the story. Both the pictures and the text went hand in hand, the pictures only enhanced the story and did not take away from it. I would use this book with a 3rd to 4th grade class as it mentions some more heavy topics such as slavery. In addition, it touched on some sensitive issues that may be triggering to some children like eating disorders. Although Isaac did not intentionally make himself sick, he was not eating and caused problems down the road. This could be a difficult conversation to have with children which is why I would use this book in more of the upper grade levels.

[Caroline Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patsi Trollinger illustrates a beautifully detailed book about a famous jockey in Kentucky. Growing up in Danville she was able to draw from her experiences and the impact of horse racing on the state to create this book. This story was written to be a biography of Isaac Murphy, a famous jockey with an even more powerful background story. Coming from a family of slaves as an African American child living in Lexington Kentucky in the mid-late 1800’s he was actually free as he worked his mother who ran a laundry business. As schooling was limited in general at this time, it was especially harder and more challenging to find schools for African American children, so he was working at a young age. Until fate happens where the title “perfect timing” is probably drawn from, and he meets a man who provides him with an opportunity to ride horses. This was a rather lengthy process as lots of training is involved and his start was not beautiful, but with time and patience he was competing in races and achieving great success. His success was not limited to horse riding in Lexington but throughout the country as well. I especially liked the part where he compares the stables to school and how each individual stable is its own classroom. Showing how he learned through the process and as a form of education different from the traditional version. While Isaac had an extremely successful career, his health began to deteriorate at 35 forcing him to quit horse-racing, but his impact on the sport will not be forgotten. The illustrator does a wonderful job depicting the bluegrass state along with the colorful silks with her watercolor pictures throughout. Giving readers a realistic feel through watercolor. This book would be great for large age range as its not too complex but contains detailed illustrations. Biographies like these probably interest 2nd- 5th graders more so, leading me to believe I would probably still to the upper elementary grades when reading this to a class. Two ways I would use this in my class would be as a lesson on influential African Americans possibly during February when they are celebrated, and or just as a lesson on perseverance. It could be also be a fun book to read and share around the derby as he also won some Kentucky Derbies.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being a lifetime resident of Kentucky, I know woefully little about perhaps its most popular event: the Kentucky Derby. Maybe that was why I found Perfect Timing so insightful - or maybe, Isaac Murphy truly does not get all the recognition he deserves! Whichever one (if not both), I thought this book was a wonderfully informative, gripping, and poignant reading experience. Following the trials and tribulations of one the most gifted horse jockeys in the world, Isaac Murphy, Perfect Timing serves as a timeless coming-of-age tale about the art of derbies and the immense effort Murphy put into them. Dense and prose-like, the text contains a heavy use of metaphors, description, and imagery. The lengthy sentences gave the author perfect time to sketch out Murphy’s life in vivid and detailed strokes, making the story all the more riveting. The use of figurative language worked wonderfully in accompaniment to Murphy’s story, fleshing it out with all the emotions and passion that it truly deserves. I feel that when teaching students about figurative language, this book could be used as an example for them. I found the ending extremely bittersweet, and particularly appreciated the anecdote about how almost 500 people attended his funeral.

The artwork from Jerome Laggarigue stunningly renders Trollinger’s vibrant language. In a watercolor-like style, the colors bleed and blend together in an almost dream-like way. The figures and forms of people are distinct, but still beautifully muddled. It bestows the artwork with a vintage quality that befits the story. The cover especially embodies this, applying that same phantasmagoric feeling to a close-up shot of Murphy and one of his horses. Personally, my favorite piece from the book happens on the page where the narrator describes Murphy sitting around his mentors drinking coffee. The palette is warm and intimate, and it is so charming to see Murphy surrounded by the people who would later become his peers. The image puts them in close, tight proximity, supporting the feeling of interwovenness. I would recommend this book to older elementary readers, due to this density of its text and the rather complex nature of the story.

[Ariana Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Timing is A nonfiction picture book for young readers. It is a story that can be understood by many Kentuckians, or others curious about Kentucky and horse racing. Sports and history lovers can find this read interesting as well. The horse racing book starring Isaac Murphy, was inspired after a critical herald leader article. The article stated that Isaac Murphy, was a famous person who had passed away many years ago and the community had failed to honor him. Murphy was the first jockey to win the Kentucky derby three times in the 1800s. Another important thing to note is, black and white riders would all stand together in the images found. This was before the Jim Crow laws were introduced.
The story started by giving the readers a bit of background information. It tells us how Isaac Murphy was brought in and offered the position to be a jockey. He was asked about being a jockey while working for his mothers laundry business due to his small size. We are then told the challenges he experiences while learning this profession. Being a jockey was new to him, he had to start from scratch. Riding a horse didn't come naturally to him either. One may assume after such a successful career that he was riding horses since he was born.
The illustrator did an amazing job including the dark palette oil paintings in the pictures. I really liked the paintings of Isaac as a young boy. Even though the illustrator created the piece based off of a guess of how Isaac would have looked. With no pictures of Issac as a kid to be found, it is up to the illustrator to make the art appear to be as real as possible. In another illustration I was able to see Isaac carrying the laundry basket in the streets of Lexington.
He struggled with something a lot of us have dealt with, his weight. Balancing work and home life on top of keeping a specific weight was not at all easy for Isaac. Towards the end of the book we are able to see a historically correct weigh-in room. Jockeys have to be weighed before a race, to see how much will be on the horse's back.
Right away I was able to identify that the story was indeed, written by a passionate author. The author's research stood out to me while reading the accurate informational facts on the topics during this time period. A good amount of the information was retrieved from the two libraries in Keeneland , and Churchill downs that specialize in only horse racing. When I flipped to the back of the book, I saw more facts and information about Isaac Murphy.

[Ashtin Flener · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect Timing by Patsi B. Trollinger is a biography of Isaac Murphy, one of the world’s greatest jockeys. Isaac was the grandchild of slaves, but he was free living in Lexington, Kentucky with his parents. There were not many schools in Lexington that allowed African American children to attend, so he spent many of his days helping his mother with her laundry business. He did this until one day he delivered laundry to one of the horse farms in town. He was given the opportunity to try riding one of the thoroughbreds- he was not successful with his first try, but it didn’t take long for him to catch on. A few races won, and the rest is history. Isaac Murphy is to this day known as one of the best jockeys in the world.
Being from Kentucky, I was really excited to read a book by a Kentucky author about horse racing. However, this book did not excite me like I was hoping it would. I feel that the sentences are choppy and the illustrations did nothing for me. I am able to appreciate the beautiful artwork that Lagarrigue created when painting the illustrations of this book, however, I do not see these illustrations being a strong contributor to the text on each page. Towards the end I felt as though the sequence of events began to be rushed- within a very short amount of time the author talked about very important topics such as eating disorders and death. This book is for a slightly older audience, but I still believe that when bringing up topics such as these, more time needs to be spent age-appropriately addressing them.
Although this book is not a favorite of mine, I do see where there is value in this book at a curriculum level. I would suggest using this book as an introduction to the home state lesson that is often incorporated into the curriculum. This book discusses many historically accurate details regarding Kentucky’s history. Horse racing is one of the things Kentucky is most known for, and I believe that talking about the Kentucky Derby (an event some students may have gone to, most students have watched on TV, and nearly all students have heard of) will attract the interest of students.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing: How Isaac Murphy Became one of the World's Greatest Jockeys by Patsi B. Trollinger tells the story of one of the greatest jockeys in the history of horseracing. Isacc, the grandson of former slaves, took a chance which changed his life forever. One lucky day in 1873, Murphy was offered the chance to ride a horse, little did he know the success he would have in as a jockey. He quickly escaped poverty and became one of the best jockeys in history. He won and set more records than most other jockeys, some of his records still standing today. Unfortunately, Isacc Murphy died at the young age of 35 after contracting pneumonia. However, his legacy is remembered today as people honor the amazing horse jockey that he was.

I really enjoyed this story and think that it did an excellent job of telling the story of Isaac Murphy's horse racing experiences and rise to the top. I think that the author did a great job of explaining the story in a way that was both factual and interesting for readers. I really enjoyed that this book took place in Lexington, and think that students in this area would like that as well. To make this book even better, the stunning illustrations throughout really add a great element to this book. The paintings by Jerome Lagarrigue bring the story to life and are very realistic for this story and time period. I love how the painting is not defined and really play with the use of warm and deep colors. The title page is perfect for the story, allowing the reader to know that the story will be about a horse and jokey. I really love the detail of the horses and nature in the paintings and think that it looks very realistic, which is suitable for a biography book. I would recommend this story to older elementary students, third through fifth grade. This would be an excellent book for children that are interested in horses and history. Also, I think many students in the area would even find it interesting since it is based out of Lexington. I think this book does a wonderful job of telling Isaac Murphy's story, with a fascinating story paired with vibrant illustrations.

[Jamie Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book at the University of Kentucky Education Library. On the front cover, there is a blurred image of jockey’s riding on horses. Within the book, the illustrations are done in the same way as they were on the cover, appearing to almost be blurry. Most of the colors are dark browns and yellows. This is a nonfiction picture book. The story follows Issac Murphy, a boy who went on to become one of the best jockeys in horse racing history. He is a descendant of a family that was trapped in slavery and later escaped. The story takes place in Lexington, KY and starts with Issac at age 12. In 1873, he stumbled upon the Owings farm where the owner was needing to hire new jockeys. Mr. Ownings said Issac was just the right size and told him he wanted to teach him how to ride a horse. After several failed attempts, Issac finally earned his way into jockey school. Here Issac learned the dos and don'ts of horse racing- such as saving the final burst of energy for the finish line, what made each horse unique, and pace. In his bright yellow silk racing shirt, Issac took off for his first race. He lost but chose to keep racing. Owners all over the US wanted Issac as their jockey! He raced in places such as New York, Michigan, & Missouri. In 1882, he married Lucy but kept racing. He went on to win the Kentucky Derby 3 times! Issac eventually raced on the horse Tupto, in what would be his last race. The following year, he got pneumonia and died in February of 1896. Isaac was only 35 years old when he died. Fans lined the streets of Lexington for his funeral procession. Isaac was inducted into the Jockey Hall of Fame and has races named after him in Florida and Illinois. In fact, Issac is the only jockey buried on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park! He even holds the highest percentage of racing wins ever (44%) to this day. I think this book would thrive in an upper elementary school classroom, especially those located in KY, to help students learn about something so important within their state! I gave this book 5/5 stars as the illustrations were creative and the story was very informative.

[Lindsay Leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing by Patsi B. Trollinger is a beautifully depicted biography about Isaac Murphy, a young African American boy who finds his love and passion for horse racing. The picture storybook begins with introducing Isaac as a twelve-year-old boy living in Lexington, working alongside his mother in a laundry business. One afternoon when Isaac was making a typical delivery, he meets a racehorse owner named Mr. Owings. Noticing that Isaac was the perfect size of a jockey, Mr. Owings asks the young boy if he would be interested in learning how to ride a Thoroughbred. Little did Isaac know that this opportunity was going to change his life forever. Trollinger’s book goes on to tell the story of how Isaac went from being a horse riding novice to one of the best jockeys to have ever lived. He faced challenges along the way, but his love and determination for the sport brought him to the success he reached. Personally, my favorite part about this story was when Trollinger mentions that Isaac did not let his fame change who he was. He was true to himself and never believed that cheating, fighting, or swearing were the answer. He also rode every race, no matter how big or small, like it was the most important, portraying just how humble the young jockey was. On top of the wonderfully told true story, the illustrations created by Jerome Lagarrigue are incredible and fit the biography perfectly. Although relatively abstract, the art by Lagarrigue feels relatable and can bring emotion to the reader. Overall, I really enjoyed Perfect Timing by Patsi Trollinger and I think young students, especially boys, between the ages of eight to ten years old would too! I also believe this book is worth a read for any child that is interested in horses, as it explains a bit of the history of horse racing and the challenges that horse racers may face to reach their dreams in the purest of ways.

[Emily Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing written by Patsi B. Trollinger and illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue is all about a jockey named Issac Murphy. Issac Murphy’s grandparents were slaves, but he was a free African American in Lexington looking for schooling. One day he entered a stable and found a school for jockey’s. His trainer and teacher was named Eli, who taught Issac all about pace and timing. After training for two years, Issac’s first race was a rocky start because he could not concentrate on his pace throughout the race. However, after that, Issac was able to focus on the beat of the horses and always had perfect timing. Issac soon became famous, and in the first year he was married to Lucy, he won 33 races. He won the Kentucky Derby three times, and he even tied the world record for running a mile in less than one hundred seconds. However, as Issac got older, he had to go on special diets in the spring in order to stay in shape for the horses. The diets took a toll on his body, and Issac died at the age of 35. 500 people came to Lexington for his funeral procession and to honor Issac. Overall, this book is extremely informational about Issac Murphy’s journey and life.

The illustrations throughout Perfect Timing are beautiful, with subtle bright colors. For example, Issac’s uniform for his first race was yellow, and in the illustrations, he stuck out compared to the other jockeys. In addition, the illustrations look like they are painted with rough outlines of people and the horses. I love the subtle outlines of other jockeys, as it allows the readers to focus on the text. The front cover is of Issac riding his horse in the front of several other jockeys. This foreshadows the first race he won in his yellow uniform later in the book. Overall, I would highly recommend this biography for ages 7 years and above. This book could be used in the classroom when studying history and biographies in general.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect Timing is a picture book for children that follows the true story of an African-American jockey named Isaac Murphy. Born around Lexington, KY in the 1860s, his education was hard work, delivering laundry for his mother’s laundry service. A chance encounter with a horse-owner lead to his training as a jockey. He goes on to become one of the most winning jockey’s in history, even being inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame.

My favorite part of this book was Trollinger’s descriptions of Murphy coming up through the horse stables, she says, “In this school, every classroom was a stable and every lesson was a horse.” I really appreciated that analogy and I think this story could be used to demonstrate that not all education happens in school, that hard work and practice lead to other types of life lessons and there are various ways to be successful. Though the book was well researched and there was more biographical information in the back pages, I was left with some questions; what happened with his mother? What was his pay like? But I think the story was detailed enough for a child to enjoy without the worries of economics that I bring as an adult reader.

I really did not like the illustrations. Being a native of Lexington, KY we’re consistently barraged with generic horse culture and I’m over it. The pictures were dark and murky and the impressionistic style did not allow for any details such as facial expressions or even much movement, to help develop the characters or contribute to the story. They seemed more appropriate for a derby poster than a children’s book. I’d recommend for lessons on marginalized heroes or for classrooms in Kentucky, where they do special lessons on the Derby – in 4th grade we made hats, for ages 6-9. Four stars for story, two stars for illustrations.

[Madison Roark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a jockey named Issac Murphy who's family were former slaves. Issac was on his way to make a delivery for his mother when Mr. Owens asked if he would like to learn how to ride a race horse. The next morning he had to ride a volcano, a young through-breed, once he got on he was soon bucked off but when asked again didn't hesitate to get back on the horse. After that day he worked in the stables and went to jockey school where he went on to win many races with Salvatore and went on to win the Kentucky Derby 3 times and to have the highest percentage of wins. Issac came down with Pneumonia and soon died at the age of 35 years old. The illustrations on this book were really amazing and looked like watercolors and dotting were used which really was nice and kinda depicted the time because a lot of old paintings were used with herbs made from the ground instead of layered paints and mixes. The colors set the tone for the book and often when talking about older time periods the neutral colors that were used in this book are used in others. I love how some of the objects in one illustration blended together but you could still make out people and changes in paint. I would read this book to a 2nd-3rd grade classroom to use as an assignment especially if its around the Kentucky derby time because it is an important story to tell and Issac Murphy was a hero to a lot of people and made history in Kentucky, and during this time period it was needed for the Nation to see an African American win multiple things and show that he too was a human being who was destined for greatness. I would do an assignment with groups and poster boards and give each group something different to put down on their poster boards about Issac Murphy that they would have to present to the class and then would be hung up outside in the hallway!

[Rachael Zychowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing was one of our books that I was excited to read. I love horses and always had a dream of being a jockey it is a topic that interests me so for me it was easy to get into before I even opened the pages. This book is not just about being a jockey it is a biography on the life of Isaac Murphy. This young African American boy who was just helping out his mom stumbled onto the chance of a lifetime when Mr. Owings a racehorse owner took interest in Isaac and asked him if he wanted to ride his horses. It was a bit of a rough start for Isaac but he eventually became better at riding and started winning races. This was the first step to Isaac to becoming an unforgettable jockey and someone who would go down in history for the sport. This is something that I found inspiring because it shows students what practice and perseverance can do for them. Just because they may not be the best at something to start does not mean that they should give up and I think that is a very important lesson to be teaching our students because especially in today's world it is so easy to give up and do something else out of fear of failure or judgment but that should not be the case. Towards the end of the book, the story becomes more morbid with its content about death and eating disorders. Although those are both important contents that people should learn about I think for kids in elementary school that maybe something hard to understand and start conversations that others may not be prepared for. Because of this, I would recommend this book for older elementary kids in 5th grade but maybe even reserve it for students in 6th grade who have a better concept of self and start to actually understand the more morbid parts of life. Overall this book was a great book and teaches the reader a lot of valuable content in a less dense way then one might get with other books.

[Victoria Ouellette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Timing is a wonderful picture book by Patsi B. Trollinger about a young boy’s journey from just a young black boy without an education to a world renowned horse jockey. This picture book does a fantastic job of introducing younger children into what a biography is like while still making it interesting by including pictures to accompany the text. The illustrations, by Jerome Lagarrigue, use muted colors and are not perfectly clear which puts the focus on the text instead of the pictures. This book would be best for fourth graders and above since there is a lot of text on each page and it focuses on the historical facts of Isaac’s life more so than just telling a story. I loved at the end of the book that Trollinger included a timeline of Isaac Murphy’s life to summarize the journey that she took us on throughout the text. I also enjoyed the author’s note that made me realize that what Isaac did was truly incredibly and his timing was in fact perfect. She gave historical context to what we had just read to fully put it into perspective without taking away from the story itself! Perfect Timing gives a young reader great insight into what life was like for the newly freed black population of America in the late 1800s and shows that this opportunity was one of a kind and that he is deserving of all of the recognition that he has received nationwide. On the last page of the text, Trollinger includes that Isaac is recognized in Florida and in Illinois along with being one of the first people inducted into the Jockey Hall of Fame in Maryland. This picture book is an inspiring story of a twelve year old boy who was given a chance and changed his entire life because of it. I had never heard of this book before but now, it is one of my favorites!

[Molly Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, being from Kentucky I was really intrigued to read this story because horse racing is what we're known for so I thought I'd be interesting to get a deeper look into horse racing! Perfect Timing written by Patsi B. Trollinger and illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue is a very informational and compelling story about a young boy with slave ancestry, now free living in our very own Lexington, Kentucky. Isaac Murphy was just a young boy helping his mother with the house-work, at the time there were not many schools that allowed african-americans so he just stayed home helping mom with her laundry business. One day Isaac delivered laundry to a horse farm where he met Mr. Owings, the owner of the race horses. Mr. Owings asked Isaac if he would like to try to ride one of the horses, he did, but it did not go so well. Over time, Isaac became very good at riding horses, even started competing and winning! This might have been the best decision in Isaacs life because now he is known as one of the best jockeys in history.
However, the story took a turn for the worst when at the end, the author starting talking about eating disorders, death and other morbid subjects. I think that this content could and should have been left out, but I understand the importance and why it was included.
The abstract artwork throughout the book is a wonderful touch to the story, fast moving pictures and all the expression is really shown and I believe adds so much life to the page.
I enjoyed this book for the most part and would recommend upper elementary to middle school students. I wouldn't push this on a younger student because of all the information and human nature content, that may be too much for one to handle.

[Maddy Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Timing: How Isaac Murphy Became one of the World's Greatest Jockeys by Patsi Trollinger is a very descriptive and beautifully-written book that encompasses the evolution and the history of racing in Kentucky through the focus of jockey Isaac Murphy. I had learned about Isaac Murphy in my history class earlier this semester, which made this book even more interesting. My class focused on the racial-inequality side of this, so it was cool to learn more about Murphy himself and his life as a racer. The book begins with 12-year-old Isaac learning to ride, with his beginning knocking him on the ground... literally! His second ride, though, landed him a spot in jockey school, leading to events like his first official race, his love life, his strong morals, his insanely successful career as a jockey, his death, and his legacy. The book shows the determination, passion, commitment, and success of Isaac Murphy. The illustrations are beautiful, and they seem to be made from oil paint. I love that they're not clear, and you can still tell how detailed and intricate they are despite the illustrations not being sharp. They also symbolize how history is not a single snapshot of time, but it is always in motion and things are always changing. The cover of this book is visually appealing and I could see myself picking it up off of the shelf. This book is very informational and sets lets readers feel like they're back in history. You could use this book, in my opinion, anywhere from 5th grade up. I think this book is too complex for younger readers, as the older readers would fully absorb all of the information, beautiful pictures, and underlying message behind the book. This is a great book for even high school readers, as it is sophisticated and rich in information. I overall loved this book and thought it was very well done!

[Emily Costella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is very inspirational. It tells the story of Isaac Murphy and how his "perfect timing" led him to become one of the World's Greatest Jockeys. Isaac was born into a family where his grandparents were once slaves. He was a short boy but very very strong. One day he made a delivery to Mr. Owen's house and it is here where everything became different. Isaac was asked if he wanted to learn how to ride a thoroughbred and be a new jockey for Mr. Owens. He said yes and his first day riding did not go as planned. Volcano, the horse, was nervous and bucked him off. But Isaac did not give up, he finally got to ride Volcano and earned his place in jockey school. He worked hard every day and became one of the World's Greatest Jockeys, becoming the first jockey to ever win three Kentucky Derbys.
The pictures in this story are incredible. Jerome Lagarrigue used oil paintings to create beautiful pictures to go along with every word in this book. He created a vision of what young Isaac looked like since there was no pictures of him before. I also see use for this book in many different areas. I think it could be used anywhere as a motivational story. Isaac did not have the easiest life before riding, but he never gave up. Another time to use this story would be great during Black History month. I think it celebrates him and his accomplishments very well and would be great to read that month. Finally, it would be a good book to read as a teacher in Kentucky during Derby week. It teaches a little about riding and all of the training he had to go through, so it would be a good one to add in for that week. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and plan on having it in my classroom one day.

[Ally Ferring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing: How Isaac Murphy Became one of the World's Greatest Jockeys is a heartwarming children's book written by Patsi B. Trollinger. This book tells the story of jockey Isaac Murphy. When he was 12 years old, Isaac would do work for his mother because there were few schools in Kentucky for African American students. During this time, there were still slaves, but Isaac was free. In 1873, Mr. Owings, who owned a stable with horses, was looking for jockeys and asked Isaac because he was small. He let Isaac practice, and he got the hang of it, so Isaac then joined jockey school taught by Eli Jordan. He learned many things, including pace, and how to notice things that made each horse unique. After two years of jockey school, he was ready to race. He lost his first race, but after that he did not stop winning, and won most of the races he was in. After all his wins, he started to race in other states, and he became famous. He won the American Derby, the Latonia Derby, the Kentucky Derby, and more. When challenged to a race, he was able to tie the world record. He was even able to win with a horse who consistently got last place. Isaac had bad health, though. Jockeys had to stay 110 pounds during the season so they wouldn't hurt the horses, so Isaac had to lose 20 pounds, and had to do so too quickly, and he would starve himself. A doctor warned him of this, but he continued to of it. Due to his bad diet, he caught pneumonia and died at 35, leaving a lasting legacy. The illustrations by Jerome Lagarrigue are extraordinary, the warm colors of the paint are beautiful. The horses are detailed and looked good. I would recommend this for children 7-12 years old.

[Kylie Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing is a informative biography on one of the most renowned jockeys of all time who happened to be African American in a time that blacks were not commonly accepted into sports with white people, but Issac Murphy defied those odds with his perfect timing and pace. Born in Lexington, Kentucky the capital of horses and the state of horse racing via the Kentucky Derby, Isaac Murphy began jockey training due to being picked out when he brought laundry to a family who owned thoroughbreds. He soon became the best jockey in the country during the 1880s until his passing in 1896. This was really interesting to learn about due to living in Kentucky for college and always having an interest in horse racing. I loved the story and writing, but the illustrations did not match the excitement of the story or the inspirational aspect. With the dark oil pastel illustrations, it makes the book seem unapproachable to the audience it's intended for, children. It was also such intricate illustrations, making it hard to picture the spirit and thrill of horseracing and what Murphy looked like. I know Trollinger can't pick her illustrator, but that really was disappointing since the writing was so well done and intrigued me throughout the whole thing, even with a paragraph per page. I do like the cover and think it is fitting and captures the art of the time period, but again the colors are not intriguing on the inside and there is no inside cover art or detail when there could be more. I think anyone wanting to teach about Kentucky's rich horse racing history and or black history would love to add this to their classroom library in a 4th- 8th grade classroom.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully written biographical picture book of African American jockey, Isaac Murphy. The chronological storyline is engaging, and intermediate elementary students would be able to follow the plot. The illustrations, though not my favorite style, are well done and add visuals to the text. The illustrations are like foggy oil paintings, beautiful with blurred details. The story follows the life of Isaac Murphy and his life-long 'perfect timing.' He was born after the Civil War when African Americans could ride as jockeys side-by-side with white jockeys. He was a wonderful racer, going up against some of the best horses and jockeys in the world, traveling all over the U.S. Isaac was so well known and respected that when he died at a young age of 35, 200 people came to Lexington, KY for his funeral and he was admitted burial at the Kentucky Horse Park. I think this would be a great book for a read aloud to a group of 4th or 5th graders because of the amount of factual information given. I think it would be important to ask questions during or after the reading to make sure all students understood the order of important events and why the book is titled Perfect Timing. This book would be great to use in May around the time of the Kentucky Derby to teach students about a great, minority jockey of the past. In Lexington, the book could be read before a field trip to the Horse Park to give students background information into horse racing and Isaac Murphy. I recommend this book to teachers of older students and horse lovers as a well done biographical read.

[Hannah Auton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nonfiction picture book tells of the true story of Issac Murphy, a black man who was incredibly successful in the horse racing industry in the late 1800s. This book gives a thorough background of the life of Issac Murphy, how he came to begin a life in horse racing, the struggles he faced along the way, the incredible accomplishments he made, the records he set, and the legacy he left in the horse racing industry. The story begins with when he was a little boy, telling of his family history and how he was introduced and began a life in the horse racing industry to the time he died at the young age of 35 from health complications that were imposed upon him from the poor diet he had over the years in order to maintain the weight he had to have in order to continue in horse racing. The illustrations in the book were interesting as well. With muted colors, no harsh lines, and pictures that almost look faded out, the illustrations seem to reflect that this story is historical. I really enjoyed reading this book. I did not know about Issac Murphy prior to reading this story so I found this book really interesting and exciting to learn about the historical figure of Issac Murphy, especially since he was born and raised in the state of Kentucky, my home state, and was a huge figure in the Kentucky Derby. I find it intriguing that he is the only jockey to be buried on the site of the Kentucky horse park as well. I think this would be a great book to use in upper elementary or middle school grades to teach students about this historical figure, especially in Kentucky schools since the Kentucky Derby has been and still is such a vital aspect of Kentucky.

[Mia Mulig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the books I have read thus far, I have not came across any of which were about Kentucky or authors originally from Kentucky. This book resembles and portrays a lot of aspects of life in Lexington, Kentucky. This book is about one the greatest jockeys to race, Isaac Murphy. The book starts out explaining how Isaac began riding horses. His first ride was not a success as he was slammed to the ground, but was determined to try again. Just because of that second try, his journey began in the Thororoughbred industry. He learned that pace was the most important and coffee time was where he gained the most knowledge. Most of all, Isaac learned to race based on the unique qualities other horses had. The illustrations in this book had a soft, paint look to them. The illustrator also used more of a neutral palette and stayed away from the more bold appeal. In addition, I enjoyed the illustrations as it gave the reader a picture to match with the text and some were double-spread pages. For instance, one of the scenes discussed the day of the race. It pictured all the horses running side by side with each jockey wearing different colors on their outfits and head gear. Also pictured was the starter waving a red flag. In the text it states how Isaac only focused on one piece of red and explained how each jockey wears a different color to represent a different stable. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I was able to familiarize myself with Isaac Murphy’s story which is a huge part of Kentucky’s history, while learning more facts about horse racing, as well as, Kentucky. I would recommend this to 1st-3rd graders.

[Grace Glenaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could read the book "Perfect Timing" by Patsi Trollinger over and over and over. This is a biographical children’s book about Isaac Murphy, a famous African American jockey. It begins by setting up basic background information like how Isaac works for his mother’s laundry business. One day when carrying a delivery to the Owings’ house, he attracts the attention of Mr. Owings, who is in need of new jockeys. Due to Isaac’s smaller stature, he is the perfect size to be a jockey! Through multiple tries, determination, failure, etc. he is able to ride his first horse. Volcano was a young and nervous horse that definitely gave Isaac a run for his money. This earns him a place in jockey school that had no desks, just Isaac, Eli the trainer, and horses. After two years he is finally ready to race! In this race, between himself and a jockey named Snapper Garrison, Isaac is able to win and tie the world record for a 1 mile horse race because of good pacing. This is how the title “perfect timing” came into play because he was soon known as the best jockey in the world! He ended up passing away February 12th, 1896. People filled the streets of Lexington, KY for his funeral procession, and he is buried on the grounds of the Kentucky Horse Park. This book is an excellent book for young readers interested in horses, horse racing, or history. The text is informative without being too boring, it keeps your attention the whole time. It tells a complete biography of an important figure in horse racing history. The illustrations throughout the book appear to be soft watercolor pictures, and are just gorgeous.

[David Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Timing tells the tale of how Isaac Murphy, a Lexington, KY local boy became one of the world’s greatest jockeys. Murphy was not just a boy, he was an African American boy and his story unfolded just years after the Civil War. At the end of the book the author shares with us a note telling us that the title is fitting, because had Murphy raced in an earlier time he would have been a slave rider. If he rode years later, he would have been pushed out of the sport by White riders. Perfect Timing beautifully tells the story of Murphy’s racing career and has a special treat at the end of the book. That treat is a timeline of Murphy’s life and an Author’s note. Both of these items could be used, in connection with the book, to inspire age appropriate class discussions on race relations or similar topics. I would recommend this book for readers ages 7 and up. The vocabulary is not difficult, and each page has a paragraph or less of text. The illustrations by Jerome Lagarrigue are not just drawings, they are wonderful paintings that appear to be oil based. Some of the paintings that depict a race (or practice race) are blurred which give the viewer the sense of motion. Many of the paintings contain small details, like flying dirt or Murphy’s determined facial expressions during a race. The story is enhanced by these illustrations but would likely standalone without them. Although, without the illustrations, the reader would have a hard time feeling the exhilaration of each race and each win.

[Erin Sturtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful and inspiring story! Perfect Timing, written by Patsi Trollinger tells the biography of Isaac Murphy, one of the greatest jockeys in the sport of horseback riding. As an African American boy, Isaac came from a family of slaves. However, he lived freely in Lexington, Kentucky. This story begins with Isaac working for his mother’s laundry business because there were not a lot of opportunities for African Americans to attend school. In 1873, Isaac meets a man named Mr. Owings, who owns several race horses. Mr. Owings asks Isaac if he would be interested in riding some of his horses. Once Isaac agrees, he begins practicing and attends jockey school. Shortly after, Isaac begins participating in legitimate races.  Even though his first few races did not go as planned, his resilience and determination eventually led to success after success. He consistently won races in Kentucky and throughout other states. Unfortunately, at the age of 35, Isaac’s poor health took his life. However, his legacy will forever continue on. The illustrations in this book are amazing! They are vibrant, detailed, lively, realistic, and bring the story to life. The colors are just beautiful. I think the illustrations accompany the story perfectly. I would recommend this book for 3rd-5th graders. I think children in Kentucky will especially love this story about their state’s jockey legend. I also think this book can accompany a history lesson about African American’s after the Civil War. 

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written by author Patsi Trollinger and illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue in order to celebrate the life of the famous African American jockey, Isaac Murphy. Trollinger tells the chronological timeline of Murphy’s life in Kentucky in which he was the grandson of slaves in the 1800s. In 1873, Murphy was given the chance to ride a thoroughbred horse, and this led to an opportunity in which he was offered a spot to train. His jockey training led to many successes, which helped Isaac Murphy to soon become a very influential jockey in American history. Trollinger also included descriptions of many of Murphy’s honors in the book such as: including his winner status of three Kentucky Derby horse races, his prestigious jockey records, and how he was one of the first inductees in the American Jockey Hall of Fame. I thought that including these important life events and successes of Isaac Murphy contributed to the many underlying themes of this book, such as determination or perseverance. I really enjoyed viewing the illustrations in this book as many seem to be abstract with use of acrylic or watercolor paints to create both textured and blurred effects. I specifically noticed this in the detailing of the brightly colored jockey uniforms and the race tracks, located in the setting of historical areas in both Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky. I think that this book would be great to introduce as a read aloud activity for a 4th or 5th grade social studies class in order to help students form connections to Kentucky history and determine the possible themes of the text.

[Carly Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Patsi Trollingers book about Isaac Murphy, a Kentucky jockey, we experience the struggle, emotions, and strength Murphy and his family experienced throughout his life. Looking back at where it all started, the story goes on to explain Murphy’s journey to becoming a jockey, which wasn’t always easy. Murphy, an African American, wasn’t always granted the opportunities as everyone else. This included his education, as he was forced to go out and work instead. Coming from a family of past slaves, Jockey and his mother didn’t get by easily. They put in their everything into a laundry delivery business, where they worked together to make a living. It wasnt until one day where Isaac came across a man who opened up a door to the rest of his life. This man introduced horses to Isaac, as he began hard, long, painful hours of training to learn how to ride. Starting off in Lexington, and soon to be all around the country Isaac began racing horses and was extremely successful. He brought home several wins including derbies, and was one of the best jockeys out there. It wasn’t long before his body couldn’t ride anymore, as age 35 he had to quit riding.

I think this book is so fun regarding the history of Kentucky. As an out of state student, reading stories like these fascinate me, and really embrace me in the culture that Kentucky has to offer. I think this book would be fun to keep in the classroom to make history personal to students. I think it would be great for 2nd-5th graders, and can even be tied into different projects regarding the Kentucky Derby.

[Emily Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book! It tells the sweet story of how Isaac Murphy became a great jockey. It started by discussing how Isaac worked for his mom's laundry business, and when he was delivering laundry, he was delivering to a place where a man who owned racehorses and needed jockeys was. Isaac was eager and soon went to the stable. The first time he rode, the horse bucked him off! He tried again and was successful. This led him to jockey school. Here he met Eli, the trainer, who taught them how to groom and care for the horses, how to control the horses, and how the horses were unique. After 2 years of school, he raced for the first time and it didn't go his way. This taught him he needed to concentrate better, and his second race was perfect. He became well known and people from everywhere wanted him. His story of love with Lucy was told. He won multiple derbies and tied a world record. He became sick after trying to lose weight to be a jockey, and contracted pneumonia. This story showed that it was clear that he was successful and important. I really enjoyed the illustrations. It was cool how many of them looked like action shots, such as when Isaac got bucked off the horse. They were very realistic and children would enjoy them. The cover page was perfect for this story. I think this book could be used as a read aloud in nearly any elementary grade. Personally, I would use it around the time of the Kentucky Derby since it will be relevant to my students. We could make our own silks and jockey hats as well.