The Sole Man: Jan Matzeliger's Lasting Invention

In 1873, at the age of 21, Jan Ernst Matzeliger immigrated to America, having left all that was familiar behind in South America. He arrived with hopes and dreams of a bright future in this new country. Though Jan had no formal training, he was highly skillful with tools and machinery, having worked in his father's mechanic shops. But no one wanted to hire a Black immigrant who didn't speak English. Yet Jan didn't give up. He finally got a job at a shoe factory. As Jan learned the process and craft of shoemaking, he envisioned a new machine, a lasting machine, that would help produce more shoes more efficiently. People scoffed at Jan's idea, telling him it wasn't possible. But he wasn't deterred. Despite many obstacles, after years of planning, drawing, and experimenting, Jan is finally ready to demonstrate his lasting machine. And his invention will change the shoe industry forever.

The little-known story of Jan Matzeliger and his machine comes to life for young readers.

Shana Keller grew up a middle child in Middle America wondering exactly how clouds stayed in the air. She’s traveled all over the country and some parts of Europe with her family and moved too many times to count. She’s settled in Pittsburgh for now, a city built just for kids and one that she finds secretly inspiring. One of her favorite quotes is from Benjamin Banneker. “Every day is an adventure in learning.” That said, she graduated from the University of Miami, Florida, with a degree in Communications, from UCLA’s screenwriting program, and took a course in songwriting from Berklee College of Music. Her goal is to never stop learning.

Stephen Costanza is the author and illustrator of several picture books for children, including A Christmas Spider’s Miracle. His latest book, King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin, received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, and went on to win the Golden Kite Award in 2022 for picture book illustration. For several years he played the piano professionally alongside a violinist, performing ragtime, jazz, and classical music. He lives and works in North Haven, an island in Maine.