Member Reviews

In 1986 in Jamaica, a little boy was born with a competitive spirit. His parents named him Usain St. Leo Bolt.

He loved playing cricket and was motivated by food from a young age. His high school coach saw promise in his athletic abilities and encouraged him to build on his strengths. In fact, Usain was given his first pair of running shoes by his school!

The path to Olympic gold medals was not an easy one. Usain struggled with nerves so much that he once put his shoes on the wrong feet. He also had many limitations and health issues, but Usain chose to see them as challenges to overcome rather than reasons to quit. The most difficult lesson he learned had to do with his attitude. Usain thought his talent could carry him farther than training. His laziness taught him a valuable lesson.

We may know him as “Lightning Bolt” and an 8-time Olympic gold medal winner, but Usain didn’t start out with a dream to be a track star and had many hurdles to overcome in his journey to success.

This book carries a wonderful message and reminds children that anything worthwhile takes dedication and effort as well as a winning mindset.

I was gifted this copy by Quarto Publishing Group, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

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I love this series!! This mini biography of Usain Bolt is the perfect addition! I love how it highlights his overcoming of obstacles and shows the value in perseverance and hard work. I didn’t know he had scoliosis, but that makes his feats even more impressive.

Thank you to Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Quarto Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this beautiful book!

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Kids will enjoy this biography of the child who grew up to be nicknamed Lightning Bolt because he was just that fast! Here is the story of how his natural talent, a few obstacles and persistence led to Usain Bolt becoming one of the very best athletes ever in his sport, maybe even THE best. Readers will also learn how he has given back. All in all, an excellent biography.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

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Another amazing book in the 'Little People, Big Dreams' series. Great illustrations, love the story about Usain Bolt, and great for kids to learn about a special athlete.

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Another great book in the 'Little People, BIG DREAMS' series!
I love how the illustrator used the Jamaican colours throughout the pictures.
I also loved the use of the Usain Bolts classic 'pose'

Another stunner of a book in the series!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book because I remember watching Usain Bolt running on the TV. Usain Bolt is a very interesting person and I think children will enjoy learning about him. I also really enjoyed the illustrations.



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I absolutely love the Little People, Big Dreams series and this was no exception. I enjoyed the writing style and liked how the author weaved in life lessons about the power of hard work and determination. The illustrations were beautiful and really enhanced the story. I love that these books contain a summary at the end which is aimed at older readers and recommendations are given for extra reading.

Overall I love the Little People, Big Dreams series and this might be one of my favourites as I remember watching Usain Bolt run when I was younger!

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I love this series. Even very young readers can learn about interesting people like Usain Bolt and his amazing accomplishments. It's amazing how he overcame scoliosis to win several gold medals and support programs for other young athletes. I didn't know that he became a music producer after retiring from sports. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

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A great book about Usain Bolt.. Was able to get the facts about him and follow along with the colourful pictures.
My son also looked and read the book.

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Who doesn’t want to learn more about the charismatic sportsman.

This book makes the inspiring back story of Usain Bolt accessible to children in a fun and engaging way.

The illustrations are colourful and eye catching, they really add to the story.

Another winner from the Little people, BIG DREAMS series. Definitely one to add to the collection.

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As a family, we love to read Little People, Big Dreams. This is no exception. It was fascinating to learn about Usain Bolt, from his childhood to becoming a world class Olympian. 10/10

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Having now read quite a few Little People, Big Dreams books, this was definitely a favourite. Usain Bolt is a great role model to many youngsters and his popularity will encourage many to pick up this book.
The story is really well written and incredibly informative, teaching me many things I didn't know about Usain. It also includes many lessons which are valuable to young people about determination, overcoming adversity and never giving up despite failure. The illustrations are fantastic as always to bring the story to life.
My little girl has already requested we pre-order this book! I would love to see more sports stars featured in the Little People, Big Dreams series - hopefully more will follow!

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