John F. Kennedy was a popular, charismatic president, beloved by many. But he didn't always believe he had the strength or courage for that office. As a child he was sickly and also overshadowed by his strong, capable, athletic older brother Joe. After Joe Jr.'s death John had to work hard to live up to his own expectations and to those of his father. He overcame pain and self-doubt to see the country through one of the most difficult crises in its history. Doreen Rappaport once again combines real-life quotes with her own lyrical prose to create a moving portrait of a beloved figure. Matt Tavares' stunning artwork vividly depicts this unique time in history.
Publishers Weekly As with these collaborators' Lady Liberty, the striking cover of this picture-book biography features a closeup portrait of the subject, all the more compelling in this instance with the omission of any type. In her signature succinct style, Rappaport fuses facts about Kennedy's personal and public lives with quotations from his writings and speeches. The author credits the 35th president for such achievements as establishing the Peace Corps and negotiating the first major weapons test-ban treaty with the Soviet Union, yet asserts, not all of Kennedy's decisions were wise. She calls the U.S.'s 1961 invasion of Cuba a disaster and notes that, while violence erupted in the South as blacks protested for equal rights, Kennedy worried that he would alienate white Southern lawmakers. For two years he hesitated, before he took a firm stand and called for new laws protecting black Americans. Tavares's light- and shadow-infused paintings balance lifelike portrayals of Kennedy with renderings of dramatic events, notably a Japanese destroyer ramming Kennedy's PT boat during WWII and the planting of the American flag on the moon. An evenhanded, graphically stirring biography. Ages 5 8. (Oct.)

Jack's Path of Courage: The Life of John F. Kennedy (A Big Words Book, 3)

Rappaport, Doreen

Disney Publishing Worldwide

Disney-Hyperion Books

Hyperion/Disney

Disney Press

United States, United States of America

1st ed, New York, ©2010

Illustrated, PS, 2010

S.L, 2010

no page number in the book

Includes bibliographical references.

A biographical portrait of John F. Kennedy, telling how he overcame childhood sickness and tragedy to lead the United States as president. Includes quotes

Presents the childhood, military exploits, major events of his time in office, and legacy of the thirty-fifth President of the United States

2023-06-28