Book Discussion Guide

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman

Wilma Rudolph has faced incredible challenges since the time she was a baby. Wilma had polio as a young child and many doctors thought she would lose the ability to walk. Wilma pushed through this problem and practiced walking, ultimately developing enough strength in her legs to be able to walk without the support of a brace. Wilma went on to become a great athlete and compete in the 1960 summer Olympics in Rome. Despite many obstacles, she won the gold medal in several track and field events. Wilma Rudolph’s life, as told through striking multimedia images and masterful storytelling, is an inspirational journey that will encourage everyone in your family to keep working hard to achieve their goals!

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Questions To Talk About
While Reading

Vocabulary

It's important to make sure that your child has an understanding of key words in the book. Talking about words while reading is a great way for your child to learn new words.

In this book, you might talk about these words:

  • remedies (pg. 1)
  • luxury (pg. 3)
  • trembling (pg. 13)
  • triumphant (pg. 17)
  • astonishment (pg. 21)
  • accustomed (pg. 23)
  • fumble (pg. 31)

You might use a question like:

What does the word triumphant mean on page 17? How does the image help you understand what it means?

Key Ideas and Themes

In addition to words, it's important to talk about key ideas and themes and how they develop over the course of the book.

Here are some examples to get you started:

  • 1

    At the beginning of the book, the author says, “Most babies weren’t Wilma Rudolph.” Ask your child what he or she thinks the author means by this. Ask your child to point out details on page 1 and 3 that show the ways in which Wilma Rudolph was different from most babies. After reading the book, go back and talk about what this phrase means now, knowing the end of the story. Ask your child: What does this phrase mean to you now?

  • 2

    Talk about the challenges Wilma faced personally, as well as those she faced because she was black. Ask your child to think about and talk with you about how Wilma’s actions contributed to her growth.

  • 3

    On page 13, the book says, “It would be just the place to try the bravest thing she had ever done.” What happened next? Why was church “just the place” for this moment? As you read about this event in Wilma’s life, talk about: “What did the illustrator do in the pictures to help you envision this event? What words and images help you to feel Wilma’s pride and joy as she took this step in overcoming her obstacles?

  • 4

    A lot of things put pressure on Wilma as she got ready for the 1960 Olympics in Rome. As a family, read both paragraphs on page 25. Talk together about some of the things that might have added to Wilma’s nerves.

  • 5

    Ask your child what lessons can be learned from these stories about Wilma Rudolph’s life. To guide your child in answering this question, ask him or her to summarize some of the challenges she faced and how she overcame them. Ask, “What can you learn from this?”

Extra Activities

  • 1

    Your child might not know a lot about polio. Look around with him or her on the Internet or at a local library to find out more about the disease. After having read more about it, ask him or her what she thinks about Rudolph’s success. Your child will probably have a greater appreciation of how much she needed to work to arrive where she did!

  • 2

    Reread the last line of the book: “Wilma Rudolph, once known as the sickliest child in Clarksville, had become the fastest woman in the world.” With your child, make a timeline of the major events in Wilma’s life. Use the author’s note at the back of the book to add additional events to Wilma’s timeline. Using your timeline and the book as a guide, talk about the following questions:

    • What choices did Wilma make throughout her life to create the positive sequence of events that led her to “become the fastest woman in the world?”
    • How does each major event in her life build off of the last?
    • In what ways did Wilma use her success to inspire others? (Be sure to use the author’s note to guide your thinking.)