If you’ve got a kid who wants to be the next Tiger Woods, show him — or her — that practice makes perfect with a new book about a young golfer who grew up to be the first African-American man to build and own a golf course.
The new book “Twice as Good” by Richard Michelson tells the story of Willie Powell, who — when he was told that he couldn’t do something he wanted to do — worked harder to reach his goal.
Willie wanted to learn to play golf on the smooth lawns of The Edgewater Golf Course, but the golfers told him that “his kind” wasn’t welcome there. He was used to that, though. He was often the only African-American boy wherever he went, but that didn’t stop him. He went to Edgewater anyway, every chance he got.
Eventually, one of the golfers let Willie be his caddy, which meant carrying a heavy bag filled with golf clubs. That didn’t stop Willie, either; in fact, he worked twice as hard, because being “good” at his job wasn’t good enough to him. Soon, he was earning money being a caddy.
Then, one day, someone asked Willie to play a round of golf, and Willie loved it! From then on, every chance he got, he practiced. By the time he entered high school, he was one of the best golfers around. He even entered competitions.
Still, lots of white golfers didn’t want Willie playing on their course. They wouldn’t let him join the club or share their clubhouse. But Willie had dreams — not only for himself, but for his baby daughter, too.
He knew that someday there would be a place where she could learn to play, too, and nobody would turn her away. Willie was sure there would be a course like that, even if he had to build it himself.
Based on the true story of Willie Powell, Michelson creates a kid-friendly story of perseverance in the face of racism with a boy who refuses to say “no” to his dreams. I liked that Michelson gives his young hero a graceful determination with no room for discouragement (which is very inspirational), and artist Eric Velasquez’s illustrations fit Michelson’s story to a tee.
If your 3-to-6-year-old loves a good read-aloud, this is one to put on the roster. For you, “Twice as Good” is a book that’s hard to say “no” to.
“Twice as Good,” by Richard Michelson [32 pages, Sleeping Bear Press, $16.95] is recommended for kids ages 3 to 6.
Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill with two dogs and 12,000 books.
