Charles Atlas went from being a ninety-seven pound boy who was bullied to becoming the World's Most Perfectly Developed Man. This picture-book biography tells the story of his transformation. Strong Man starts with Atlas a boy immigrant from Italy coming to the United States. The story goes on to explain that bullying inspired Atlas to become stronger. Atlas developed his own method of becoming strong, and spent the rest of his life helping other people become healthy and strong using his method. The colorful simple illustrations in this book perfectly compliment the story. The book ends with a few exercises for readers to try out on their own.
This book would be excellent to center a fitness program for children around. This program encourage children to stop watching TV, stop playing their computer and video games, and get active. The book can be read then the participants would be asked to go through the exercises in the book, along with others that have been planned before hand. Depending on the length of the program, an entire field day of activity could be planned. Then after the program the participants would be given a chart to record their activities for the next month.
PROFESSIONAL BOOK REVIEW FROM SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
An entertaining introduction to a fitness guru and entrepreneur. Beginning with young Angelo Siciliano's arrival at Ellis Island, the book describes the scrawny Italian immigrant boyhood in a rough Brooklyn neighborhood-and when he was older-the storied seaside encounter with a sand-kicking bully (witnessed by his date). Humiliated and determined ΓΈ change his life, the young man decided to change his body. While at the zoo, he watched a lion stretch and noticed its muscles rippling beneath its skin. "Eureka!" He devised and followed an exercise routine that pitted one muscle against another, gradually becoming "Strong as an ox! The rest of the book covers his new name (for his resemblance to a statue of Atlas), his success as a sideshow strongman and bodybuilder, his famed fitness course, and his emphasis on healthy living. An author's note makes it clear that Atlas's story has been much mythologized and that little is known about his private life. McCarthy cleverly makes the most of this, smoothly weaving facts, quotes, and dialogue balloons into a comic-book-like narrative that perfectly suits its subject. Similarly, the acrylic illustrations feature cartoon characters and appropriately over-the-top humor. One scene shows skinny youth locked in a staring contest with a muscle-bound statue of Hercules, while another shows the pumped-up Atlas, google eyes bulging, straining to pull a train. This colorful book captures both the essence and mystique of an American icon.
McCarthy, M. (2007). The story of Charles Atlas, strong man . New York: A.A. Knopf.
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