Usain Bolt

Little People, BIG DREAMS

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Karen Crosbie (Illustrator)

From the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Usain Bolt.
 
Growing up in a rural town in Jamaica, Usain was a standout cricketeer and sprinter from a young age. His speed was noticed by coaches, and by the age of 14, he wowed fans with his lightning speed. He took the world by storm at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he broke numerous records and he became the fastest man ever at the World Championships in 2009 with a time of 9.58 seconds. Despite the pressure and even a few off-days, Usain continued to be monumental in his achievements. Usain's story teaches us that any dream is achievable if you put your mind to it, regardless of what others may say. 

Little People, BIG DREAMS  is a  best-selling biography series for kids  that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The  board books  are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover  and  paperback  versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the  treasuries  each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in  boxed gift sets .  Activity books  and a  journal  provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people  who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Genres: Biography, Sports, Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published June 4, 2024

About the author

You may find books from the "Little People BIG DREAMS" series on author page - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1986 in Jamaica, a little boy was born with a competitive spirit. His parents named him Usain St. Leo Bolt.

He loved playing cricket and was motivated by food from a young age. His high school coach saw promise in his athletic abilities and encouraged him to build on his strengths. In fact, Usain was given his first pair of running shoes by his school!

The path to Olympic gold medals was not an easy one. Usain struggled with nerves so much that he once put his shoes on the wrong feet. He also had many limitations and health issues, but Usain chose to see them as challenges to overcome rather than reasons to quit. The most difficult lesson he learned had to do with his attitude. Usain thought his talent could carry him farther than training. His laziness taught him a valuable lesson.

We may know him as “Lightning Bolt” and an 8-time Olympic gold medal winner, but Usain didn’t start out with a dream to be a track star and had many hurdles to overcome in his journey to success.

This book carries a wonderful message and reminds children that anything worthwhile takes dedication and effort as well as a winning mindset.

I was gifted this copy by Quarto Publishing Group, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Ankit Saxena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comics are the best way to make children learn on anything, be it current affairs, Popular figures, social issues, moral responsibilities, etc. I really liked the way this picture book cast. I have already Maria before and her style of presenting the persona of celebs is quite appreciable, however, if the said celebs themselves are fake in their social lives then one can't say anything (remembering from reading on Vanessa Nakate).

Here about reading 'The Lightening Bolt' of athletics, Usain Bolt was so amazing as I have seen him running on TV while watching Olympics. I myself never lost any 100-meter and 200-meter races in my school-time though nowhere near him, but somewhere I can feel the connect ever since that period, as we are of nearly same age. Watching him running always gave goosebumps. His first record set made people believe that he will win in future always.

Never knew his humanitarian side of work for needy talents in Jamaica. His aura in athletics is appraising. Reading this to children or let them have it themselves surely inspire them to work on their very own talent, as God never send anyone down here on earth without any special power. We only need either self exploration within or an inspiration or just a little push and guidance. I never knew his one leg is smaller than other (though no two identical parts remain exact equal) and his spine is also bent.

To add-on, Illustrations were fantastic by Karen Crosbie. So simple, those were, as for anyone to understand the whole story so well.

My NetGalley review

[Kate Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in the 'Little People, BIG DREAMS' series!
I love how the illustrator used the Jamaican colours throughout the pictures.
I also loved the use of the Usain Bolts classic 'pose'

Another stunner of a book in the series!

[Brit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usain Bolt is a name known worldwide—a legend in sports, fast as the wind, and a multiple record-breaker. He needs no lengthy introduction, as everyone already recognizes the running sensation.

While many know of his incredible achievements, fewer are familiar with his personal journey and childhood. Understanding these aspects can deepen our admiration for him. Despite having a spinal deformity that caused his legs to be different lengths, Bolt overcame significant challenges to achieve greatness. His journey wasn’t just about competing against other runners but also battling his own physical limitations and conquering seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Truly inspiring!

The book’s illustrations are bright and cheerful, vividly bringing to life the story of a boy who ran through hardships to reach the stars. The narrative is easy to follow and engaging for young readers. At the end of the book, there is a detailed summary of Usain Bolt’s life, along with four photos showcasing pivotal moments from his journey.

This is another excellent recommendation for young readers and sports enthusiasts! 😊

Thank you so much, NetGallery and Frances Lincoln Children's Books, for this wonderful reading experience and for the ARC copy!

Review in Estonian (Aug 26, 2024): https://brixieblog.wordpress.com/2024...

[Julia✨Book Reviews by Jules✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book because I remember watching Usain Bolt running on the TV. Usain Bolt is a very interesting person and I think children will enjoy learning about him. I also really enjoyed the illustrations.

–

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[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love nonfiction children's books, and this book did not disappoint! I read it to my 3 and 5 year old boys, and we all enjoyed it. I think every little boy dreams of being "as fast as lightning." This book would be perfect for ages 3-9.

It was very interesting to learn about Usain's childhood in Jamaica and how his true passion was cricket, not running. I loved that this book teaches kids that natural talent can only get you so far. You still have to work hard and tirelessly if you want to be the best at something. The illustrations are colorful and fitting for the story. I also loved the ending, where older children and adults can learn more about Usain's life and see pictures from his impressive running career.

I look forward to reading many more books from this series!

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sierra| HooksxBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute an educational book about one of the world's greatest track stars, Usain Bolt. I learned something pretty cool from this book, that Bolt actually preferred playing cricket and that he basically had to be convinced to join the track team! There were so many great facts in this book and its written in a way that even a small child could understand and retain.

I love these kinds of books. I am definitely going to purchase a copy of this book for my toddler.

We volunteered to read an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

[Rebecca Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely inspiring Little People, Big Dreams book, and honestly I'm kind of surprised Usain Bolt didn't already have one! Having now heard the story of his early life, he's an even more inspiring person than I realised. I didn't know about his medical condition, or that he hadn't actually wanted to run at first. The colourful illustrations as always were beautiful, and super bright. Very engaging for young readers and I think this was a particularly inspirational one. Loved it!

[Sharni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm fairly oblivious when it comes to sporting figures but even I've heard of Usain Bolt - and remember seeing photos of him winning races and pulling the lightening bolt pose in celebration... so it was nice to find out a little bit more about his background and how he came to be an internationally known track star.

As always with this series, great illustrations.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. Even very young readers can learn about interesting people like Usain Bolt and his amazing accomplishments. It's amazing how he overcame scoliosis to win several gold medals and support programs for other young athletes. I didn't know that he became a music producer after retiring from sports. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read about Usain Bolt’s rise to fame. Through it, I discovered that he and I have something in common: a scoliosis. This is one of the things I love about good biographies: they make one think “Oh, they’re just like me!” and that’s a great thing for youngsters to realise, which this series does really well.

Many thanks to Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and to Edelweiss for access to the DRC.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a successful series of mini biographies, Little People, Big Dreams with inspiring stories of lives that can lift our young children’s imaginations.

You might think they’d be a shortage of new subjects to take the books forward. You might think that celebrity has become the focus as sports stars and pop idols fill the pages.

I wondered if this was happening when I picked up Usain Bolt a charismatic sprinter and Olympic gold medalist across three games.

When I read his story I saw how quickly adults might judge where children absorb simple aspects and find encouragement.

Usain loved sport and found joy and reward in running. The prompting of a coach and the support his school set him on his way. However the young athlete had some hard lessons to learn to find ultimate success and personal medical issues.

Simple text and vivid, colourful illustrations complete the piece and are the hallmark of these unique books.

I have learned about Usain Bolt and my grandson has further been influenced reading this story along with me.

The measure of a human being perhaps is how someone deals with their fame and success. The foundations and resources he has established in his home island of Jamaica are a credit to him and a true measure of the man.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usain lived in Jamaica with his family and went to school there where he went from soccer player to Olympic trainee. In time he became a record-breaking sprinter. When he retired from activities in the Olympics, he formed a foundation for giving back to the school athletic programs in his homeland.
The illustrations by Karen Crosbie are fun, simple, brilliantly colorful, and delightful.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you! Expected publication 04 Jun 2024
@QuartoKids @CBCBook @Frances_Lincoln #LittlePeopleBIG DREAMS @sanchezvegara @TheQuartoGroup @kazillustrates #Jamaica

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember Usain Bolt running in the Olympics but didn’t realise it was such a long time ago now. He was inspirational then but even more so since reading this book. I didn’t realise that he’s got a curved spine making one of his legs longer than the other, so definitely not a model for an Olympic gold medallist! I remember his famous poses after winning his races and always looked forward to watching him perform in any competition. Something I didn’t know was that he’s set up a foundation to inspire children to reach for their dreams and has donated equipment to classrooms across Jamaica and supports track and field events at his old school!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for my digital copy via the NetGalley app.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usain Bolt, the 114th book in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series is a wonderful, child-friendly biography of a well know athlete. Usain was always fast, from the time he was a young boy running to the table for dinner. When he started school, he played on the cricket team, but it was his coach that convinced him to try out for the track team. He was a natural, but he also needed to work hard and do conditioning to be successful. When he first began his running career, he would rather spend time with his friends than work on his technique, but getting injured in his first Olympics changed his outlook. As a child he was diagnosed with scoliosis (a curved spine), but working with professionals they were able to mange his conditions. Usain's dream was to be the fastest man in history and when he set records in the 100 and 200 meter sprints in 2009, he achieved that goal. Over the years it was obvious that Usain also had fun and passed that on to his fans. Since he retired, he started a foundation that supplies equipment to classrooms across Jamaica and supports track and field programs at his old school. Usain shows everyone that if you work hard, dreams can be achieved. Karen Crosbie's illustrations add to the story showing expression and Usain's development. This is a wonderful book to share with young people aspiring to become track and field athletes, or anyone who wants to know more about the decorated athlete.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usain Bolt by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara is another release in the Little People, Big Dreams series, which I have reviewed frequently on here. I just love these little books. They are always packed with facts about the person who they are writing about and full of colourful illustrations throughout.

Growing up in a rural town in Jamaica, Usain was a standout cricketeer and sprinter from a young age. His speed was noticed by coaches, and by the age of 14, he wowed fans with his lightning speed. He took the world by storm at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he broke numerous records and he became the fastest man ever at the World Championships in 2009 with a time of 9.58 seconds. Despite the pressure and even a few off-days, Usain continued to be monumental in his achievements. Usain's story teaches us that any dream is achievable if you put your mind to it, regardless of what others may say.

I found this little book full of easy to read, with great Illustrations throughout this small book.

A wonderful read and so colourful.

I am so glad these books are being published and I highly recommend all of these books

Many thanks to Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading the Little People, Big Dreams series of books. I find that I usually learn something about the character that the book is focused on while I'm reading and feel that the younger audience these books are geared toward will also learn something too. Usain Bolt is a great example of talent mixed with perseverance and dedication. I thought the story really leaned in to those themes to teach younger kids that it's important to work for what you want and to keep going to achieve your goals. There's also a great theme highlighted of giving back to your community and helping others achieve their goals as well.

I think Usain Bolt is a great addition to the LP, BD series and highlighting his accomplishments on the track as well as off provides a well-rounded picture of who he is beyond just the name recognition that came with his later racing career. I also really enjoyed the illustrations. They're well matched with the story and really help to illustrate what is being written about. Plus they are colorful and engaging to look at. Overall, a great addition to the collection. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review!

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usain Bolt by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara explores the life of this vibrant personality. From a young age, Bolt had speed on his side. At age 15, he won the World Junior Championship in track. He also learned a valuable lesson early on- training is essential, natural talent alone does not a champion sustain. After being eliminated from a competition due to injury, Bolt shifted tactics and began to practise diligently. Over his career, Bolt won 8 Olympic gold medals.

The entire Little People, Big Dreams series is an awesome introduction to biographical reading for young audiences. Not only that, but they focus on the most inspirational of people from science, entertainment, sports, politics and more. It’s also a very diverse series.

At the end is a section with more detailed information on Bolt’s life, suitable for older readers. Inspirational and educational both, this entire series is great, and full of delightful art to engage younger audiences! Perfect for class learning as well.

***Many thanks to the Netgalley & Quarto Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lightening Bolt stormed to success, but things were tougher than they seemed. In her "Little People Big Dreams" biography series, author Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara tells the stories of famous people beginning with their early life. she shows kids that these successful people had to work to overcome various obstacles. That can serve as inspiration to little ones that no matter where they start in life, they could work toward success as well and maybe follow their dreams. This book is an excellent juvenile biography of track star Usain Bolt. The author includes the fact that at first he did not initially take training seriously. It was only after injury caused his loss at his first Olympics that he realized that talent alone was not enough. He also had to work to win despite the obstacles of Scoliosis ( a crooked spine) and a tall height which was not the ideal body type for a sprinter. I liked the fact that she included foibles that make it easy for kids to identify with him. She mentioned his fear of the dark, his nerves, (that he almost ran a race with his shoes on the wrong feet), and that he won a gold medal running with his shoe untied! The realistic art by Karen Crosbie shows the untied shoe lace and Bolt striking his famous pose.

With the Olympics on tv, I read a few athlete biographies in this series. They were temporary ebooks from the publisher, but the opinions expressed in the reviews are entirely my own. I was impressed by this book and recommend it for any young sports fan or biography lover.

[Danica is Booked · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Received for review: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Why did I decide to turn the pages? I love this series. Most of the books are very informative, and I love the diverse representation in the series. So when I was given the chance to review it, I took it.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: I loved the illustrations in this one. I also loved the focus on Usain's background and what he did after he retired. The book also focused on needing to work hard for your dreams and not just rely on natural talent, which I liked. There were a few minor things I thought could have been better, but overall, I enjoyed this one.

Pages: 32

Reading age: 4-7 years of age.

Love,

Danica Page

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 072 of 300 ~ 2024

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Usain Bolt is cray cray talented and yet appears to be such a humble down to earth fella. Kinda reminds me of Shaq.

It's interesting to know his passion is cricket and wasn't till later that he focussed on sprinting.

As always, great storytelling for kids and adults alike. I love this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#book72of300 #amreading #netgalley #tbrpile #instareads #readstagram #reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2024 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knew the bare minimum about Usain going into reading this. Very on point coming out of the olympics and two of my girls starting a running program. I did not realize he was the same age as me though... so that was fun. Or that he had scoliosis. How do coaches/people convince someone to give up something they love doing to train for something the coach/person thinks that they can be better at? He gave up cricket to be an olympian sprinter...but what if he could have been a bad ass cricket player? The only thing anyone has ever convinced me of is to be an accountant instead of a homicide detective... and while that allowed me to have a family and not be depressed... jury is still out on if that was the better move. I don't know, just a thought.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick – by necessity, when you consider he didn't hang about – biography of the man who is still the fastest the planet has ever seen. And that despite the loose shoelaces, the scoliosis, the nuggets diet, the way he turned into a pose… This suits the series perfectly well, as it is able to show Usain came from nowhere outstanding, but certainly got to be that. In contrast to the idea that anyone can be anything they want, is the sheer luck involved – who is to say what might have become if he had stuck to cricket, and not been selected for track? Still, this remains suitably aspirational, and will allow the young sports fan to hit the ground running...

[Shae · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Believe in your dreams and anything is possible!" This is one of Usain's famous motto or quotes. He practise this through out life.

I enjoyed reading Usain's story from his childhood too his Olympic successes. His story will inspire many children out there who may be serious about pursuing sports. You will learn what his first love in sport was (not running). Kids will also learn that natural talent is a gift but you also need to put in the work to keep and improve on the talent.

Usain Bolt is well written and beautifully illustrated to draw and keep children attention. I can't wait to purchase this for my kids.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Usain Bolt is one of the worlds most known Olympic Gold Medalist. In this colourfully illustrated book part of the Little People, Big Dreams series we learn more from Usain's background. I would have never known before reading this that he first started out playing cricket. The book held so interesting facts.

It was a great educational tool which highlights that a persons natural talent can only take them so far; with effort, discipline and dedication you can achieve your goals.

“Believe in your dreams and that anything is possible.” - Usain Bolt.

I received an arc copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jess Milner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provided by netgalley for a free and honest review.

I always enjoy these books and this one was no exception. The art style wasn't my favourite in this series, but the message was great. It really seems to get me when they say, you know, he's the greatest sprinter of all time. Like Simone Biles is the greatest gymnast of all time. I think it's a really impactful statement and something kids can really connect to and absorb the information. I did really like the drawing at the end of all of them doing Bolt's signature lightning bolt pose.

[Polly Batchelor · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Success requires more than natural talent, it demands effort, discipline, and dedication."

Another great addition to Little People, Big Dreams Family. Even if the books are aimed at children they don't stop adults learning to. For me it was Usain Bolt preferring cricket over running and had to be convinced to try out running. The illustrations are beautiful as always and it wouldn't of been Usain Bolt without including his iconic pose.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of the book for an honest review.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the books in this series and always find something new in them.

This was a book that focused on a famous Olympian athlete and sporting legend - Usain Bolt.

In this book we get to read a little about his early life and his adventures in his quest to succeed and be the best in the world - he is a real role model with some superb determination and a brilliant drive to succeed. Usain is a true inspiration.

Lovely images and another great addition to the series - it is 4 stars from me for this one

[Catherine Craig (Angelic Light) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an informative and interesting book in the Little People, Big Dreams series, about Usain Bolt. I really enjoyed learning about his life as a child and growing into adulthood using his skills and passion to be a wonderful sportsman. Throughout the book were lovely colourful illustrations, and the book was easy for me to read. It would suit a child aged 5 or 6 upwards. Usain wants everyone to believe in their dreams and he says that anything is possible. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, NetGally and Edelweiss for a copy of this book.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kids will enjoy this biography of the child who grew up to be nicknamed Lightning Bolt because he was just that fast! Here is the story of how his natural talent, a few obstacles and persistence led to Usain Bolt becoming one of the very best athletes ever in his sport, maybe even THE best. Readers will also learn how he has given back. All in all, an excellent biography.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.