The Value of Courage: The Story of Jackie Robinson

ValueTales Series

by Spencer Johnson, Steve Pileggi (Illustrator)

A biography, stressing the courage, of the first black player in professional baseball.

Genres: Biography, Childrens, History, American History, Nonfiction, Picture Books

64 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1977

About the author

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Patrick Spencer Johnson was an American writer. He was known for the ValueTales series of children's books, and for his 1998 self-help book Who Moved My Cheese?, which recurred on the New York Times Bestseller list, on the Publishers Weekly Hardcover nonfiction list. Johnson was the chairman of Spencer Johnson Partners.

Reviews

[Kristyan Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great book from the ValueTales collection that uses the value of courage to help kids connect with the lives of heroes- in this case, baseball player Jackie Robinson. This story would work well for younger middle-grades students during lessons on civil rights and black pioneers during the early-mid 20th century.

[Acton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a boy who wanted to play sports. He was alive from 1919 to 1972 and he was black. At the time, African Americans were not allowed to play baseball in the Big Leagues. This true story tells about a man who changes sport's history. This was a very good book.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book was good. Although, it is for younger children who like Valuetales , the rare series that not only teaches values to children, but also tells stories that actually happened.

[Kyle Kudelas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Reads

[Daniel Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no telling how many times I read this as a child and I still enjoy reading it to my kids. Great story about the courage it took Jackie Robinson to make it to the big leagues.

[billbo baggins]

i it wos good jackie robinson was born in 1919 and died in 1972 he was a baseball player for the brooklyn dodgers

[C.G. Fewston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was a kid and remember it fondly, and will have to revisit it with my children.

[Ryan Latham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Value of Courage: The Story of Jackie Robinson written by Spencer Johnson and Illustrated by Steve Pileggi published on August 1, 1977. This is a book about the life of Jackie Robinson and how he showed true courage being the first black baseball player. This was a pivotal moment in baseball because no one thought that African Americans could play the game of baseball or deserved to play the game. Jackie Robinson broke barriers for future generations to come. The artwork in this book is cartoonish and looks like a comic. I would use this book in a history class to show how far America has come and where it has been. There are valuable lessons in this book that give a different outlook and how hard it was for African Americans to do anything post-civil war with their freedom. I give the book 4 stars for its story and historical references. I took a start away from the artwork because it was cartoonish and comic-like.

[Leila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the value I would have associated with Jackie Robinson, but a good story nonetheless. Sometimes the most courageous thing we can do is walk away. Great message.

[BozCitac · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was quite disjointed even for a children's book and the short biography at the end seemed more interesting and better-written than the book proper. The part when Robinson refuses to sit in the back of a segregated bus is particularly rushed-out and is missing even the briefest explanation suitable for children on how such situations usually ended. However, the begining set during Robinson's childhood is warm-hearted and the spirit of a ruined ragball is an interesting plot device that's memorable and done better than most instances of the imaginary friend leitmotif that's present throughout the book series.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book at least 30 times when I was little. I loved it!