Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills shares his inspiring story of overcoming extreme adversity to achieve his goals in his first children's book, Wings of an Eagle. Author Donna Janell Bowman (Step Right Up) collaborates with Mills to create a soulful narration that pairs with the striking artwork of S.D. Nelson (Crazy Horse and Custer) to deliver an impassioned tale of determination and grit.
Mills, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, is born into a large family and great poverty. "Love keeps us warm," though. "We are stronger together, connected by hope and culture." Mills, whose mother dies when he is nine, finds solace in running and dreams of competing in the Olympics. The athlete endures racism and fights through undiagnosed hypoglycemia to run in high school, college, and eventually as a Marine. His Olympic dreams "will not be stopped.... as if fueled by Indigenous ancestors who didn't give up when all odds were against them." This fortitude carries Mills to the 1964 Olympics, where he defies expectations, setting a new Olympic record and becoming the first American to win the 10,000-meter race in track and field.
Mills and Bowman's language is at turns inspiring and haunting. Nelson's exquisite artwork (done in liquid acrylic on Masonite panel) is reminiscent of the work of Raúl Colón, in that his creamy colors blend and mix, creating illustrations that seem to have been dipped in light. Extensive back matter includes more about Mills, as well as an explanation of Nelson's "contemporary interpretation of Lakota ledger-style artwork." The efforts of Mills, Bowman, and Nelson result in a gold medal-worthy picture book. --Jen Forbus, freelancer