Lyn St. James: Driven to Be First (Achievers)

A biography of the race car driver who, in 1992, became the second woman ever to participate in the Indianapolis 500 and the first ever to be named Rookie of the Year in that race

Gr. 4^-6. Olney's inspiring story of one of the few women to succeed in the male-dominated world of race car driving is a real-life reminder that hard work and determination can overcome almost any barrier. St. James, who was painfully shy as a youngster, discovered that one of her biggest obstacles was finding sponsors to finance her racing. Her breakthrough for the Indianapolis 500 came when J. C. Penney took the chance that she would embody their new "Spirit of the American Woman" advertising campaign. Although the sport of auto racing may not have wide appeal among children, kids will find the themes at the core of this biography applicable to achieving any goal, and the brevity of the text, the large print, and the numerous full-color pictures will encourage struggling readers. A glossary and a page summarizing career highlights are appended. Lauren Peterson