Roberta Gibb by Laurie Calkhoven

This month I'm celebrating my sixth book in Simon Spotlight's YOU SHOULD MEET series. These biographies, written at the second-grade level--celebrate Americans who aren't necessarily well known to today's kids.

Roberta Gibb was the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon. When she applied to take part in the 1966 race, she was told that women couldn't run that far. Women, the race organizers told her, couldn't run more than a mile and a half--anything more than that would kill her!

Bobbi knew those men were wrong and set out to prove it to them. She snuck into the race and made headlines around the world when she finished.

The book comes out next March. Here's a look at the cover. Go, Bobbi!