Book Review: The First Marathon (Susan Reynolds)

If you’re a marathon runner with kids, you’ve probably had the experience of trying to explain the concept of the marathon to them. I tried one time, with my nephew, who had come to see me at a marathon finish and I was met with a sort of glazed over look and a long list of questions that began with the word “why”. It’s hard for kids to grasp the concept of running so far, and harder still to understand the historical tradition behind the marathon.

Author Susan Reynolds has tackled the subject in a children’s book called “The First Marathon: the Legend of Pheidippides.” In this beautifully illustrated book, she tells the historical tale of Pheidippides and his runs from Athens to Sparta and Athens to Marathon in 490 B.C.

The book is aimed at grade school aged children, perhaps from grades 3-5 or thereabouts depending on the child.

Reynolds does a nice job of sketching out the role of running as method of communicating in Ancient Greece and then nicely draws a picture of why Pheidippides would have been sent from Athens to seek the help of Sparta in the face of the coming invasion by the Persian army of King Darius. I thought she did a nice job of tying back the fact that Pheidippides, being a soldier, then had to fight in the battle af Marathon as a soldier before making his final run from Marathon to Athens to spread the news of victory.

Some reviewers in other forums found the language to be overly sweet in places, but I thought the book read well aloud and has kept the attention of those to whom I’ve read it recently.

The book concludes by telling readers that modern marathons are held around the world in celebration of Pheidippides act of bravery. “This would be a sad story if it stopped here,” writes Reynolds, “but it doesn’t. Nearly twenty-five hundred years after his death, Pheidippides is remembered. He is a hero to the Greeks and to runners everywhere.”

Another nice feature of the book is a more in-depth two-page exploration of the development of the modern marathon at the end of the book. Not a part of the story itself, it provides some nice background about marathon running in general that you and other adult readers might find interesting. Reynolds also briefly concludes the book with a note on her sources, explaining how she put together the details of the story.

So for any of you that have been met with puzzled expressions when trying to explain what you do as a marathon runner, this will make a nice addition to your library. It’s a lovely book that you’ll want to have in your home for your children.

The First Marathon: The Legend of Pheidippides is available on-line from Amazon.com for a list price of $16.95.

Coach Joe English, Portland, Oregon USA

Title: The First Marathon: The legend of Pheidippides
Author: Susan Reynolds
Illustrator: Daniel Minter
Publisher: Albert, Whitman and Co. (2006)
Reading level: ages 4-8