A Sporting Chance: How Ludwig Guttmann Created the Paralympic Games

Informative, engaging, and important.

This heartwarming biography will appeal to anyone who supports equal rights and disability justice.

With clarity and immediacy, Alexander tells a riveting story....Throughout, Alexander conveys the force of Guttmann's commanding personality as well as his fierce drive and determination not just to heal his patients but to change public perception of disabilities and disabled people.

Alexander (All in a Drop) brings her accessible storytelling to this well-researched account of the man behind today's Paralympic Games. Jewish neurologist Ludwig Guttmann escaped Hitler's Germany to Britain and later founded a spinal injuries treatment center for wounded soldiers. Fourteen short chapters seamlessly flesh out Guttmann's life and detail how his radical-for-the-time treatment plans--which included occupational therapy and sports such as archery and wheelchair basketball--helped patients formerly known as "incurables" to live and thrive. Competitions he organized for patients who had paraplegia later evolved into the Paralympics. Illustrated vignettes by Drummond (Pedal Power), as well as numerous archival photos and simple medical diagrams, keep the narrative moving apace, though some, including a cartoon-style soldier struck by shrapnel, appear lighthearted for the subject matter; sidebars detail paraplegia, the nervous system, and the historical treatment of people with disabilities. Brief portraits of six Paralympic medalists conclude this inspirational biography, which highlights the power of sport to motivate and heal while demonstrating how the dedication of one pioneering doctor continues to mean a life-changing difference for many. A timeline, extensive bibliography, and index are included. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 7-10. Author's agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. (Apr.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 3-6--Ludwig Guttmann was a respected Jewish neurosurgeon in Germany when the Nazi party came to power. When Guttmann relocated with his family to England in 1939, he was denied the opportunity to practice as a surgeon and decided to devote his time to medical research. At that time, patients paralyzed from spinal injuries were deemed "incurables" and left to die in hospital beds. Guttmann did not accept this prognosis: he developed a revolutionary treatment plan that saw unprecedented success, and World War II created many patients who needed his services. He realized that sports could build strength, boost confidence, raise spirits, and develop camaraderie in his patients. What started as a wheelchair sports competition between two hospitals grew into the international Paralympic Games, played on the same schedule and set in the same host city as the Olympics. Alexander covers a lot of ground in this biography. Yet the narrative never feels bogged down by the scope and depth of content; the clear writing employs a simple, matter-of-fact tone. Drummond's charming illustrations, stylistically reminiscent of Quentin Blake, help maintain an optimistic mood even during the darkest moments. Alexander does not reduce Guttmann's patients to objects of pity, but the text frankly discusses the negative implications of infantilizing and condescending attitudes toward people with disabilities. Profiles of accomplished modern Paralympic athletes in the final chapter will help young readers realize the far-reaching impact of Guttmann's work. VERDICT An uplifting biography that spotlights the dedicated physician who saved lives, created the Paralympic Games, and became a pioneer for disability rights.--Elizabeth Lovsin, Deerfield Public Library, IL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

 "Period photographs and Drummond's watercolor illustrations are well balanced to capture the grim reality and uplifting optimism surrounding the mid-twentieth century approach to disabilities. With short chapters, a fluent text, and the timeline, index, bibliography, and notes to support student research, this engaging title will be welcome for in-class and independent reading." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books