Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramírez
by Belen Medina; illus. by Natalia Rojas Castro
Primary    Atheneum    40 pp.
6/24    9781665931427    $18.99
e-book ed.  9781665931434    $10.99

This picture-book biography introduces readers to an extraordinary Indigenous ultramarathoner. Ramírez, born in 1995, is “a proud daughter of the Rarámuri,” a tribe from a remote region of Chihuahua in Mexico. Known as the “light-footed people” for their proclivity for endurance running, their abilities are forged by necessity as they travel long distances for food and supplies. Ramírez’s experiences navigating rivers and trekking across deserts have trained her to endure many difficult courses and climates. Pride in her heritage is encapsulated in the image of her running in huaraches and a long woven skirt, swiftly leaving behind others wearing “fancy gear and gadgets.” Medina’s rhythmic text is punctuated with onomatopoeia and emphasizes Ramírez’s connection to the Rarámuri traditions, including the traditional pinole drink (made of ground corn and spices, as explained in the back matter) that sustains her. Also incorporated are glimpses of Ramírez’s daily life, describing how she is strengthened by her family and her community and how she “draws energy from the earth” itself. Castro’s richly colored digital images depict the flora and fauna of the desert terrain and feature floral motifs that surround Ramírez like a cloud of energy. The back matter includes a list of sources and more about Ramírez’s accomplishments, daily life for the Rarámuri, and how running marathons supports their community.

From the "September/October 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.