Strong Man: The Story of Charles Atlas
*Starred Review* In this winning picture-book biography, author and illustrator McCarthy (Aliens Are Coming, 2006) tells the story of Charles Atlas, the original 98-pound weakling who transformed himself into "The World's Most Perfectly Developed Man" and moved generations to embrace fitness. The smoothly paced, concise text follows Atlas from his boyhood arrival on Ellis Island to the abuse he suffered as a skinny kid in his Brooklyn neighborhood. After finding inspiration in classical statues of muscled gods and in the animal world (a lion's stretch is a eureka moment), Atlas developed his Dynamic Tension fitness program and became a world-famous strong man. The acrylic paintings nicely reinforce the meaning in the words on each page, and the artwork's cartoonish style—bug-eyed, thickly outlined characters and rich, flat colors—echoes Atlas' larger-than-life, superhero persona. Particularly touching are the re-creations, in words and pictures, of letters sent from young fans whose lives were changed by Atlas' program. Atlas' tall-tale biography is a difficult story to tell accurately, and McCarthy's lengthy author's note acknowledges the challenges she encountered as she separated fact from fiction. A bibliography and an illustrated spread featuring examples from Atlas' exercise regimen conclude this cheerful introduction to a cultural legend whose messages about self-respect and healthy choices are just as timely today as they were 50 years ago. Engberg, Gillian