Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramírez

Meet Lorena Ramírez, an Indigenous Rarámuri athlete from Mexico who is internationally known for winning ultramarathons in her traditional skirts and rubber sandals, in this nonfiction picture book.

From the copper canyons of Mexico, her swift footsteps echo. Clip clap, clip clap.

Experience a sixty-mile run with Indigenous athlete Lorena Ramírez. She runs in the traditional clothes of the Rarámuri, "the light-footed people," to show that her people and their way of life are alive and thriving--outpacing runners in modern, high-tech gear and capturing the world's attention. Lorena's career as an athlete is an inspiring real-life example of the power of perseverance that will encourage young readers to follow their own dreams.

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 06/11/2024
Pages: 40
Size: 8.00h x 9.25w x 0.13d
ISBN: 9781665931427
Age: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 03/01/2024 pg. 36
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2024
School Library Journal 05/01/2024 pg. 87
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 06/01/2024

About the Author
Belen Medina, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in California's Central Valley. She spent her childhood summers in Mexico with her grandparents and has been navigating two cultures her entire life. Still a Californian at heart, she now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Daughter of the Light-Footed People is her debut picture book.

Natalia Rojas Castro is an illustrator based in Bogotá, Colombia. Daughter of the Light-Footed People is her debut picture book.