Fall 2024

Raising the Bar

Black Women Who Changed Gymnastics

From the Series Black Trailblazers in Sports (Read Woke ™ Books)

  • Interest Level: Grade 4 - Grade 8
  • Reading Level: Grade 4

Black women are a force in the gymnastics world. But it wasn’t until 1992 that Betty Okino and Dominique Dawes became the first Black women to compete in the Olympics for Team USA. Learn about the Black gymnasts and coaches of the past and present who have made historic firsts, including Simone Biles, Sloane Blakely, and Corrinne Tarver. Then discover how Black women in gymnastics are making a difference on and off the mat.

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Interest Level Grade 4 - Grade 8
Reading Level Grade 4
Genre Social Studies
Category 5KN: Narrative Nonfiction, Sports
Copyright 2025
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Brand Read Woke ™ Books
Imprint Lerner Publications ™
Language English
Number of Pages 32
Publication Date 2024-08-01
Text Type Informational/Explanatory
BISACS JNF018010, JNF054060, JNF054110
Dewey 796.44092/52
Dimensions 7 x 9
Guided Reading Level U
Features Awards, Bibliography/further reading, Glossary, Index, Introductory note, Primary source quotations/images, Reviewed, Source notes, and Starred Reviews

Author: Ngeri Nnachi

Ngeri Nnachi is a designer and author based in Maryland. She has a J.D., M.P.P.L. and is obtaining her Ph.D. at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.

Narrator: Cicely Lewis

Cicely Lewis is a school librarian with a passion for creating lovers of reading based in Georgia. In 2017, she started the Read Woke challenge in response to the shootings of young unarmed black people, the repeal of DACA, and the lack of diversity in young adult literature. She was named the 2020 National Librarian of the Year by School Library Journal and Scholastic, a 2019 Library Journal Mover and Shaker and the 2019 National Teacher Award for Lifelong Readers by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and Penguin Random House (PRH).

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Awards

  • Booklist Top 10 New Series Nonfiction, Winner, 2025

Reviews

Booklist

“The books balance historical accuracy with compelling narratives, weaving personal challenges, societal hurdles, and athletic triumphs into vivid storytelling. Each chapter is complemented by engaging photographs and fast-paced writing that will keep readers hooked while broadening their understanding of racial injustice and resilience. These stories of extraordinary determination and achievement remind readers that every champion deserves their place in history.”—starred, Booklist