Meet Tom Longboat

Meet Tom Longboat is a nonfiction book in the “Scholastic Canada Biography” series. Tom Longboat’s story begins in 1886 on the Six Nations Reserve near Brantford, Ontario. Tom can be seen running at the age of five with his cousin and the cows. There is a brief mention of his time in residential schools (beginning at the age of 12), and after, when he escaped. His first race is documented at the age of eighteen in 1905, and, as the years go by, he’s involved in bigger, longer races. His training techniques (which differ from the usual) are featured as are his feats of running during a snow storm and (for a few seconds) against a train. In 1908, he enters a marathon event and becomes a front-runner but then must drop out because of the heat he wasn’t used to running in. He never gave up though; he competed in a variety of races and continued to run even when he enlisted in World War I and became part of the 107th Pioneer Battalion and delivered important messages during the war.

Tom Longboat was posthumously honoured in 1951 with the establishment of the Tom Longboat Awards which recognize Aboriginal athletes for their outstanding contributions to sport in Canada. In 1955, he was made a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Back material in this book includes colour and black and white photographs of Tom and a two-page time line of his life with facts not supplied in the main part of the book. The biography is an interesting read. The artwork is a mix of realistic and cartoon styled drawings. The speech and thought bubbles that appear on every page let readers immerse themselves a little more in the story. The time periods are reflected in the illustrations of the clothing, vehicles, and occupations.

Meet Tom Longboat would be a worthwhile addition to a school and public library because it’s entertaining, insightful, and it is about an inspiring person from Canada’s history.