Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon

by Annette Bay Pimentel, Micha Archer (Illustrator)

The inspiring story of the first female to run the Boston Marathon comes to life in stunningly vivid collage illustrations.

Because Bobbi Gibb is a girl, she's not allowed to run on her school's track team. But after school, no one can stop her--and she's free to run endless miles to her heart's content. She is told no yet again when she tries to enter the Boston Marathon in 1966, because the officials claim that it's a man's race and that women are just not capable of running such a long distance. So what does Bobbi do? She bravely sets out to prove the naysayers wrong and show the world just what a girl can do.

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

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2018

About the author

I write books for kids about the people and ideas that shape our world.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I am personally not at all into sports and have actually always quite despised jogging (mostly because I happen to find running for the sake of running boring and monotonous in and of itself), I have indeed found Annette Bay Pimentel's Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon both inspiring and encouraging. And while I do remain majorly and personally offended that Bobbi Gibb was not allowed to run on her school's track team and that she could not officially race in the Boston Marathon simply because of her gender (and I did laugh majorly derisively at the silly and arrogantly wrong comments on the rejection letter Bobbi receives when she tries to enter the Boston Marathon that women are supposedly too weak and physically unable to run twenty six miles, considering what we have to put up with during pregnancy and childbirth and that until the advent of modern appliances, housework was generally almost entirely physical in nature, requiring much strength and stamina, and as much so as farming did for men, in my humble opinion), I also find it wonderful and have delightfully enjoyed how in Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon when Bobbi secretly joins the race that the majority of the officially registered and thus male runners are not only supportive and cheer Bobbi on but also vow to protect her from being thrown out of the race.

An in many ways truly superb combination of text and images (with Micha Archer's rich and expressively colourful accompanying pictures both mirroring and sometimes even expanding on Annette Bay Pimentel's encouraging and uplifting narrative), and yes, the only reason I have chosen to give four and not yet five stars to Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon is that on a personal and emotional level, I do find it both annoying and actually rather majorly infuriating that in the otherwise excellent afterword, Annette Bay Pimentel does not identify by his full name the director of the Boston Marathon who refused to acknowledge Bobbi Gibb and her achievement, for yes indeed, he does in my opinion truly deserve to be personally identified and with this also shamed (as I absolutely do not believe that he should be allowed to remain anonymous).

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't that long ago that girls were considered to be too physically fragile to run long distances. This picture book tells the inspiring story of Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon back in 1966. Despite the fact that she trained seriously for the event--more than 26 miles in distance--the race organizers refused to let her compete. Bobbi could have just let her anger and disappointment simmer inside of her, but instead, she chose to compete in secret, wearing a sweatshirt to hide that she was a girl. The other runners along the way actually provided support and encouragement as did many of the onlookers, perhaps realizing that they were seeing history in the making. Despite excruciating pain caused by her new running shoes, Bobbi finishes the race. The text captures the attitude toward women at that time as well as Bobbi's persistence and love for running, and the illustrations, created in oil and collage with tissue paper and patterned papers with the use of stamps that were handmade, leave readers with the feeling that they are running right alongside this determined woman who paved the way for others. The book closes with an image of Bobbi flying across the top of a grassy knoll, followed by others like her and with the names of other marathoners listed in the grass against a yellow background. The Afterword reveals that it took race officials thirty years before her accomplishment was acknowledged. This is such a wonderful story to share with others who may doubt themselves or not know how to challenge rules that seem unfair. It fits perfectly into a text collection of feminists, strong women, and individuals who made a difference in the world around them. I'm excited to add it to my collection and share it with my students.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...

I first learned about Bobbi Gibb when I read The Girl Who Ran by Frances Poletti & Kristina Yee and after reading it, I knew I wanted to learn more about Bobbi Gibb because she did so much for women’s progress when it came to running. Without her standing up and going against everyone, it would have taken longer for women to be accepted as marathoners.

Pimentel does a beautiful job showing Gibb’s inspiration, determination, and journey. I loved seeing more about what happened during the marathon than what I knew before and especially was verklempt by the support she found when ran by Wellesley College and the women at the college came out and cheered for her. I also loved learning that the other runners supported her!

Through the afterwords, I also found out that Gibb had to wait 30 years before she was listed as the female winner of the Boston Marathon in 1966, 1967, and 1968 races because the officials wouldn’t honor her as a runner. This shows that so often even when the masses support something, it is a systemic issue that needs to be fixed.

Last but not least, I must share how much I adore Archer’s artwork. I was a big fan of her work in Daniel Finds a Poem, and once again I found that her illustrations were the perfect addition to the story being told.

[Sarah Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and inspiring book about Bobbi Gibb, first female athlete to run the Boston marathon (unofficially). I love Bobbi's bravery!!

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

With beautiful illustrations that were rendered in oil and collage, using tissue paper and patterned paper created with homemade stamps, this fascinating picture book biography tells the story of a young woman who was determined to run in the Boston Marathon. Bobbi Gibb had always enjoyed running, this was how she expressed herself. Because girls in the 1960s weren’t allowed to run on track teams, she would spend her free time running in the woods with her dog. After seeing runners in the Boston Marathon, she spent two years training to enter the race. When she was told women weren’t allowed to participate, she did it anyway. This book would be awesome to share with young readers to help develop a growth mindset. It also could be the basis for some great discussions about the obstacles women have faced to be allowed to do all of the things men are allowed to do. There is an afterword that tells more about Bobbi Gibb and a bibliography. In the bibliography, there is a web address to an awesome YouTube video called “Where the Spirit Leads” - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... This video shows Bobbi Gibb telling her story. It would be fun to share this with students after reading this book together.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pimentel, Annette Bay Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston marathon, illustrated by Micha Archer. PICTURE BOOK. Nancy Paulsen (Penguin), 2018. $18

In 1966, the officials of the Boston Marathon were sure that no female could withstand the rigors of the race. So when Bobbi Gibbs tried to register she was told no. But Bobbi wanted to show that she could, so she hid in the bushes near the start and ran anyway, finishing in the top third of the pack. Bobbi broke the barrier for women to run long distances, even though women weren’t officially allowed to run until a few years later.

I love that Bobbi is being recognized for her doing what she loved best – running. This is the second picture book about Bobbi Gibbs in this last year. I love Archer’s mixed media illustrations and the exuberance they display. It’s a great way to show girls a pioneering woman who helped increase the world of choices they enjoy now.

EL, MS – ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...

[Ann Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

This got a round of applause from my class today, so I had to share it.

The class could not believe that women weren't allowed to run the Boston Marathon in 1966 because they weren't "physiologically able." (HA!) Bobbi Gibb loved to run! They didn't have women's running shoes then, so she strapped on nurse's shoes and trained in those. The only way she could run in the Marathon was to sneak onto the course disguised as a man after the race began.

Pretty soon it was obvious that a woman was running and all of the men running with her met her pace and totally supported her. Even though she finished in just over 3 hours - ahead of many men - her race wasn't counted because she wasn't registered. It wasn't counted the year after that or the year after that, either! Women weren't allowed to run until 1972 (??!) Her bravery and determination opened those doors.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bobbi Gibb who defied the odds both in enjoying running (when girls were "physiologically unable" to run as referenced by the Boston Marathon committee) when they refused to recognize her as a running in the marathon... for three years. She would lace up a pair of boys sneakers, because girl sneakers didn't exist, throw on a sweatshirt and run alongside (and beat) men in the 26.2 mile course. It wasn't for several years that they even validated that she ran and then women were allowed to compete.

It's a quiet story and wonderfully drawn with the last image her running along the path with names of other significant figures' names underneath. Go Bobbi, go! Get it, girl.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple biography of Bobbi Gibb, who competed in the Boston Marathon even though her application was denied due to her sex. The afterward gives a bit more history and tells how she competed 3 consecutive years without official sanction and that females were not officially allowed to compete until 4 years later. I wish Gibb's quote "If I could prove this wrong...that's going to throw into question all the other prejudices and misconceptions that were used to keep women down for centuries." was more prominent than stuck in the afterword.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational picture book biography of the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon. Beautiful textured illustrations. It's a tad confusing as to how old she was though. She appears to be a school girl in the beginning but there's no sense of the time passing. The afterword says she trained for two years and she was also married. A selected bibliography provides four suggestions: two websites and two books.

ETA: Reread with my sixth graders and still love it.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect example of how inspiring and informative picture book biographies can be. The collage and stamp illustrations are some sort of unique and stunning combination of the styles of Collier, Sweet and Mary Azarian. All readers, and the running community especially, will appreciate the camaraderie shown by the male runners when Gibb sneaks her way into the race for the first time. Rather than force her out, they welcome and cheer her on. Fantastic.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the biography of Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. She ran her first [Boston] Marathon in 1966, before it was sanctioned for women to do so. The race committee would not recognize her. Women were not allowed to run this race until 1972.

Gibb running in her nursing shoes reminded me of Grandma Gatewood hiking the Appalachian Trail in her Keds.

An inspiring story!

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fabulous illustrations. I was confused about Bobbi's age, though ... the first page made it seem like she was very young, and the next thing I knew she was driving herself cross-country. A quick Google search tells me she was 23 the first time she ran; the book made it seem like she was a teenager.

[Maggi Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maintains the appropriate level of outrage—what?? Women couldn’t run the Boston marathon until 1972??—and cheerfully follows her progress through her first grueling marathon with a mile-marker number line.

[OnceUponALibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I read, I kept wanting to know how old she was - I think the story set it up as she was a kid (she was leaving school to run), but then there was never any other reference as to her age when she accomplished this ceiling-breaking challenge. Overall, well done and inspiring story.

[Susan Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great true story! I can’t believe women could not compete in the Boston Marathon until 1972! I learn so much I did not know from children’s picture books. (Library)

[Melissa McAlvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

we all liked this book alot. I may have gotten a bit choked up reading it, but I blame my postpartum hormones. :)

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an inspiring story! A well written, compelling and moving narrative nonfiction about the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. I had tears in my eyes while she was running the race.

[kate. · Rating 4 out of 5]

so inspiring, go get it girl!
➡️ an illustrated bio about the first girl to run the Boston Marathon!
I especially liked this because I lived along the Boston Marathon and got to watch it multiple times!
🙌

[Jessie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the oil and collage illustrations here, how bright and textured it all feels. Distance and different locations are conveyed really well, and the elevation indication at the bottom for the Boston Marathon is really cool.

The biography covers Gibb from childhood through the 1966 Marathon. Minimal backmatter, mostly very directly related to the Marathon.

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb And The Boston Marathon, written by Annette Bay Pimentel and illustrated by Micha Archer, the inspiring story of the first woman to compete in the famous race.

Bobbi loves to run. The second her school bell rings, she’s off. Running is when she feels happy and free, and brings her joy like nothing else. Every year, the famous Boston Marathon passes by her town, and Bobbi watches the runners as they pass, itching to join. When she is old enough, she spends a year training for the Marathon, traveling across the country and running on all kinds of terrain. And when it comes time to sign up for the 1966 Boston Marathon, Bobbi sends in her application, and is cruelly rejected. Women are not “physiologically able” to run 26.2 miles, her rejection letter states, “and it’s against the rules besides.” Bobbi is crushed, but she makes a decision: she will race, whether they will have her or not. When the day comes, she sneaks into the race as it starts, and soon learns that to change the rules, sometimes you have to break them.

An amazing story, beautifully told. Bobbi’s story is certainly inspirational, and the text does a great job of laying out the plot in an exciting yet informative way. It draws the reader into Bobbi’s world, from her inability to find running shoes for women, her drive to finish the race for her female spectators, even a great scene where the male runners show her support and solidarity when they realize she is female (a great message for young male readers in a decidedly girl-power book). The art is also an immersion, using paint and collage to create spreads filled with depth and passion, so visceral that the reader can feel the wind in their hair. The length is fine for even smaller bookworms, and JJ loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to (surreptitiously) run the classic Boston Marathon. Bobbi found joy in running before it was an activity women were encouraged or even allowed to participate in. After practicing to get herself ready, she sent away for the application to compete in the race. Her request was denied because “Women are not physiologically able to run twenty-six miles and furthermore the rules do not allow it.”

In spite of this and other obstacles (including having no available running gear – she used nurses’ shoes to train and later boys athletic shoes to race), Gibb snuck onto the track and went on to become the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon in 1966, blazing the trail for thousands of women to come.

The lovely artwork by Micha Archer, is a colorful mixture of oil paint and collage with tissue paper and hand-stamped patterned papers as materials. In addition, she adds mile markers and elevation notes to convey the runners' toils and why it is called "Heartbreak Hill." . . .
The closing image incorporates the names of other female marathoners as a tribute.

In an Afterward at the end of the book we learn that Bobbi Gibb ran the marathon originally in 1966 then again in 1967 and 1968 each time without official sanction. Women were not officially allowed to compete in the Boston Marathon until 1972. Finally in 1996 she was officially recognized as the female winner of the 1966, 67 and 68 Boston Marathons and her name was added to the list of winners inscribed on a monument at Copley Square in Boston. There is also a selected bibliography at the end of the book.

This is a great “historical” non-fiction book that would appeal to girls from grades 2 – 5th..

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

At school, Bobbi is not allowed to be on the school’s track team because she’s a girl and those are the rules. But after school, Bobbi loves to run. She lives near where the Boston Marathon is held and she longs to join the race, but women are not allowed to participate. Bobbie trains anyway, running longer distances than even the marathon. She takes a trip across the country in the summer and runs in her nurse’s shoes through several states. She runs in all weather, but still she is not allowed to join the marathon. Bobbi does not give up, instead she comes up with a plan to join the marathon unofficially and run. When she takes off her bulky sweatshirt disguise, people realize that a girl is running the race. As Bobbi runs in her new shoes, the pain of blisters slows her down. But she completes the race, coming in 124th. The officials refuse to give her a medal, but Bobbi has proven something far more valuable.

The afterword in the book provides more information on how long Gibb trained and the fact that in 1996 she retroactively was named the female winner of the 1966, 1967 and 1968 Boston Marathons. Gibb’s story shows tremendous resolve and a desire to break through patriarchal boundaries that were artificially holding women back in sports and life. Told in very simple prose, this picture book biography is approachable and easily relatable to anyone who wonders about how women finally were taken seriously in sports. The illustrations are friendly and bright, filled with dazzling yellows and deep blues.

A strong picture book about an inspiring figure in women’s sports. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

[Jene · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1966, Bobbi Gibb was the first woman to unofficially run in the Boston Marathon, back when race officials barred women on the assumption that women were physically unable to run 26.2 miles. After serious training in runs across the country for two years, her application was denied purely because she was a woman. She ran anyway. And again in 1967 and 1968. The marathon refused women runners until 1972. But after 1966, other women ran unofficially with Bobbi Gibb and the other male runners. They showed the world that the rules were wrong!
Micha Archer’s beautiful illustrations are done in oil and collage with handmade paper, making this a lovely book for read-alouds. The text and illustrations are just the right length and depth for early elementary students. I particularly loved an illustration of a crowd of women running up a hill, led by Bobbi Gibb, with the names of other female runners in the grass. Sara Mae Berman, Lidiya Grigoryeva, Rita Jeptoo, Caroline Kilel, and so many others. Many of the illustrations show Bobbi and her dog running from one side of the two-page spread to the other, making this also a bit of a search-and-find book, if you’re reading to a small group or an individual.
This is such a great book!
Recommended for: early elementary, possibly even preschool
Red Flags: None
Overall Rating: 5/5

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book biography is a welcome addition to the small body of literature for children on the topic of the Boston Marathon. I think it's important for kids to see that women's participation in the Marathon was unwelcome up until the 1970s. The present tense narrative makes the information feel immediate, as the reader learns how Bobbi loves to run, and trains herself, sometimes running 30 to 40 miles a day. That's a self-starter! There's no pity in the text, just admiration for how Bobbi tries to do what she loves. It's clear that only stereotypes of women are holding her back. The language is easy to read, and the bright colorful oil and collage art adds appeal. Notes and sources appear at the end.

One note: on the pages showing runners going past Wellesley College, it looks like the runners are running west, not east. I may be mistaken, but I believe the direction should be switched.

[Pink STREAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you hear about the Boston Marathon? Probably you did. But you didn’t hear about Boston Marathon’s hero, Bobbi Gibb, who is the first woman to have run the entire Boston Marathon when it was banned for women because of their gender. She broke the rules, for you. If she didn’t revolt against those discriminatory rules, today maybe girls were forced to wear skirts, not allowed to attend the schools’ track teams, and banned to attend the Boston Marathon. This is her story, how she changed strict rules, how she became a role model, how she helped girls to dream for more.
Illustrations are very good. They are giving the enthusiasm to be an athlete and run the Boston Marathon. Also, backgrounds in the pictures are colorful and matching with Bobbi’s inner world.
No one born better than others. You will become better in your field if you practice. Whether it is playing guitar, math, writing essays or running the Boston Marathon.
Keep running!

[Jessica Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book by Annette Bay Pimentel and illustrated by Micha Archer, is the true story of the first girl to run the Boston Marathon. Women were not allowed to register for the Boston Marathon in 1966. It wasn't believed they could run the 26.2 mile distance. But Bobbi Gibb knew she could do it! She ran the race unregistered for three years in a row. Follow Bobbi as she trains across the country, often in nursing shoes, through gorgeously illustrated pages and fascinating text. The Boston Marathon (first event in 1897) finally allowed women to register for the race for the first time in 1972. Bobbi Gibb inspired and paved the way for future woman marathoners. GIRL RUNNING is a delightful commemoration of her accomplishments.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun look at the history of Bobbi Gibb and her motivation to try to run the Boston Marathon, especially the part where she'd already been running those lengths when the race officials told her it was medically impossible for a woman to run a marathon.

I didn't realize until I was fact checking for this review, however, that I'd gotten Bobbi Gibb and Kathrine Switzer mixed up. Bobbi Gibb ran unnumbered, just doing the same track at the same time as the men running the Marathon, while Katherine Switzer was inspired by her to run the same race, but her husband signed her up under a pseudonym and she ran with a number which race officials then tried to tear off her. But they're different people. Whoops.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Bobbi Gibb and the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. The officials wouldn't let her register, and so she decided to run unofficially to prove that women were indeed physiologically capable of running 26.2 miles. In today's world, such ignorance seems preposterous, but this just shows how far we've come.

I was moved to tears by Ms. Pimentel's text that captured Bobbi's love for running, and her determination to prove that women can do more than people care to believe. And Ms. Archer's illustrations added to the beauty of the story as well as the emotion. I highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially for those wanting to learn about women's struggle to be seen, heard, and understood.

[Jessica Wilker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Biography Nonfiction
Reading Level: 2-4

Another great book!! I loved this book and I feel like many girls can relate to this. Many girls don't want to be girly girls, they want to be themselves and run free (athletic). Some girls get made fun of when they do this, the micro-aggressions of "you run like a girl" may bring them down, but this story gives a story of a girl who paved the way for girls to be athletic, to be who they want. I loved it and recommend this book for all children to read.