Overview

A biography of William ""Doc"" Key, a formerly enslaved man and self-trained veterinarian who taught his horse, Jim, to read, write, and do math, and who together with Jim became a famous traveling performance act and proponent for the humane treatment of animals around the turn of the twentieth century. William ""Doc"" Key had a special way with animals. Growing up enslaved in Tennessee, Doc was sent to plantations around the state to care for sick and wounded animals. When the Civil War ended and Doc was freed, he began to dream of breeding a winning racehorse. But those dreams were dashed when his colt was born weak and sickly. Although many people would have euthanized the colt, Doc nursed him back to health and named him Jim. Noticing a level of curiosity and eagerness in the horse, Doc began teaching Beautiful Jim Key first to recognize letters, then to read, write, add, subtract, and more. Doc soon took his talented horse on the road, spreading a message of patience and kindness, over cruelty, to all animals. With striking illustrations by Daniel Minter, Step Right Up is the inspiring story of one man and one horse who showed the world the power of kindness. This biography explores Common Core English Language Arts Standards and Social Studies Standards.

Full Product Details

9781620141489

Table of Contents

Reviews

* An incredible story that ought to be widely known--a must-read. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * This beautiful, picture-book homage to Doc and Jim is nothing short of enthralling. -- Booklist, starred review * Born into slavery, William Doc Key drew national attention at the end of the 19th century for his training of a purebred Arabian horse, eventually known as Beautiful Jim Key, teaching the animal how to combine letters to spell words, choose numbers to make sums, find flags to identify states, move clock hands to tell time, and a whole lot more. Themes of racial injustice and the harsh treatment of animals offer a poignant supplement to the main narrative (Kindness, kindness, and more kindness, that's the way, was how Doc Key described his success with Jim), which has another sturdy complement in Minter's (Ellen's Broom) bold linoleum block prints. Though debut author Bowman focuses on Doc's relationship with Jim, a substantial afterword will leave children eager to learn more about Doc Key's remarkable life, including his reluctant service work with Confederate forces during the Civil War and his efforts to free the enslaved. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review Junior Library Guild Selection, Junior Library Guild Notable Children's Book, American Library Association (ALA) Editor's Choice, Booklist Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction, Recommended Title, National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist, Texas Library Association (TLA) Prairie Pasque Nominee, South Dakota State Library William Allen White Masterlist, Emporia State University, Kansas Writers' League of Texas Picture Book Winner, Writers' League of Texas

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* An incredible story that ought to be widely known--a must-read. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * This beautiful, picture-book homage to Doc and Jim is nothing short of enthralling. -- Booklist, starred review Starred Review; Starred Review; Starred Review; Junior Library Guild Selection; Notable Children's Book; Editor's Choice; Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction, Recommended Title; William Allen White Masterlist; Writers' League of Texas Picture Book Winner

"* ""An incredible story that ought to be widely known--a must-read."" -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review * ""This beautiful, picture-book homage to Doc and Jim is nothing short of enthralling."" -- Booklist, starred review * ""Born into slavery, William ""Doc"" Key drew national attention at the end of the 19th century for his training of a purebred Arabian horse, eventually known as Beautiful Jim Key, teaching the animal how to ""combine letters to spell words, choose numbers to make sums, find flags to identify states, move clock hands to tell time, and a whole lot more."" Themes of racial injustice and the harsh treatment of animals offer a poignant supplement to the main narrative (""Kindness, kindness, and more kindness, that's the way,"" was how Doc Key described his success with Jim), which has another sturdy complement in Minter's (Ellen's Broom) bold linoleum block prints. Though debut author Bowman focuses on Doc's relationship with Jim, a substantial afterword will leave children eager to learn more about Doc Key's remarkable life, including his reluctant service work with Confederate forces during the Civil War and his efforts to free the enslaved."" -- Publishers Weekly, starred review Junior Library Guild Selection Notable Children's Book, Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Editor's Choice, Booklist Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction, Recommended Title, National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist, Texas Library Association (TLA) Prairie Pasque Children's Book Award Nominee, South Dakota Library Association William Allen White Masterlist, Emporia State University, Kansas Writers' League of Texas Picture Book Winner, Writers' League of Texas"

Author Information

Donna Janell Bowman grew up on a quarter horse ranch where she trained for horse shows and developed her passion for writing. When she first heard about Doc and Jim Key, Bowman was skeptical about Jim's ""education."" But after doing her own research, she was inspired to share Doc and Jim's fascinating story with young readers. Bowman lives in Texas with her family and their rescue animals. This is her debut book. Daniel Minter is the illustrator of several award-winning picture books. He is also an adjunct instructor of art at the Maine College of Art. Minter finds inspiration for his work from observing the natural world and thinking about history and science. He is the founding director of Maine Freedom Trails, an organization dedicated to identifying sites related to the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement. Minter lives with his family in Portland, Maine.

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