Module 7 -- Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas

Citation: 

McCarthy, M. (2007).  Strong man: The story of Charles Atlas. New York: Random House Children’s Books. 

Summary:

This book tells the story of Charles Atlas, a “shrimpy,” bullied, kid who decided to “beef” up and take control of his life. He went on to be a fitness expert with an exercise program that taught self-discipline on top of physical fitness. The book explains how Charles was inspired by watching a lion at the zoo to create an exercise program that did not require the use of weights or fancy equipment. He learned by watching the animal stretch, how to pit one muscle against another and create your own muscle building resistance. Charles began to be noticed for his great strength, and soon made money as a Coney Island sideshow where he tore phone books in half, bent iron bars, and laid on a bed nails as a grown man stood on top of him. His fame continued to grow through other fantastical displays of strength, and he began receiving fan mail from children wanting advice to overcome their own weaknesses. Atlas spread the word about his self-improvement program that stressed eating right, exercise, staying away from alcohol and drugs, keeping your life clean, and being productive. He encouraged his fans to “’Take charge of your life’” (p. 24). The back of the book contains a “try it yourself” exercise chart with pictures and directions, as well as an author’s note that explains how he came to be interested in the subject and his challenges separating fact from legend in his research.

Impressions:

I really loved this book. My husband was defenseless one morning when I forced him to let me read this book out loud to him. He found it quite interesting, as did I. Childhood obesity—and the health of America in general—is something that is of great personal concern to me. I think this is a terrific book to help your child understand the virtues of taking care of your body and mind. Atlas’s theme of “’Take charge of your life!’” is an important message to share with your children and students no matter how young they are. The book also speaks to the “underdog” in life, and offers encouragement that you can have what you want, no matter what hand you’ve been dealt in life.

Usage in a Library:

I think it would be great to pair up with P.E. teachers on this book and have them lead the kids in some fitness exercises (perhaps even the ones included at the back of the book) after a storytime. You could also provide healthy snacks, and have a quick lesson on nutrition and/or self-discipline. If you went the nutrition route you could spend a few minutes teaching kids to read labels, and talk about a well-balanced diet. If you went the self-discipline route you could spend some time having students set some goals about positive changes they would like to make and the steps that will take to ensure that it happens.

Review:

You work out to lose weight, right? Not Italian immigrant Angelo Siciliano, the original "97-pound weakling" who later transformed himself into he-man Charles Atlas. His "dynamic tension" exercising was the path to a muscular body and good health. In this light-hearted picture-book account, McCarthy traces his career from scrawny to brawny, relishing the many not-quite-verifiable tales that comprise his sketchy biography. Did a bully really humiliate him in front of his girlfriend at the beach? Just what were his ideal measurements, written down and sealed in a vault at Oglethorpe University? Atlas' eyes bulge as prominently as his muscles in the acrylic cartoon illustrations, heavily outlined in black, that portray him in many moments of fully flexed glory—pulling a railroad car, posing for one of the dozens of civic statues for which he modeled, ripping up a phone book, leading his staff in exercises on the beach. A concluding biographical note admits that much extant "biography" of Atlas is pretty hopelessly mired in legend, but that won't stop readers from enjoying the feats of strength noted herein or even attempting a little bodybuilding on their own, following the four exercise routines included courtesy of a pair of physical therapists, not apparently of the Atlas method itself. Pair this with Debon's The Strongest Man In the World: Louis Cyr (BCCB 5/07) for a perfectly proportioned readaloud.

Review Citation:

Bush, E. (2007). Strong man: The story of Charles Atlas [Review]. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 60(11), 477-478.