The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation)

The True Story of an American Team's Epic Journey to Win Gold at the 1936 Olympics

By: Daniel James Brown

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Soon to be a major motion picture directed by George Clooney

The #1 New York Times bestseller freshly adapted for the next generation.

Inspiration for the PBS American Experience Documentary 'The Boys of '36'

For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Great Depression comes the astonishing tale of nine working-class boys from the American West who at the 1936 Olympics showed the world what true grit really meant. With rowers who were the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew was never expected to defeat the elite East Coast teams, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler.

At the center of the tale is Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, whose personal quest captures the spirit of his generation—the generation that would prove in the coming years that the Nazis could not prevail over American determination and optimism.

This deeply emotional yet easily accessible young readers adaptation of the award-winning #1 New York Times bestseller features never-before-seen photographs, highly visual back matter, and an exclusive new introduction.

Critic reviews

Accolades for The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation):

- New York Times bestseller
- #1 Pacific Northwest Bookseller Assocation bestseller

"The word teamwork, which can sound humdrum to kids in coaches' droning lectures, doesn't adequately describe the connection shared by the men in that boat in 1936. Illustrated with vintage photos, this moving book offers young people a vivid sense of that shared experience. A Depression-era story with timeless appeal." —Booklist, starred review

"Offering a model of masterful nonfiction writing, Brown expertly balances the leisurely pacing of the protagonists' back stories with the exciting race scenes, related with concrete nouns, lively verbs, and short sentences, selected and adapted for this edition by Mone. Many photographs, an easy-to-read timeline, and notes on "The Art of Rowing," complete with a diagram, add visual appeal. A fine companion to Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken (2014), also about the 1936 Olympics and also adapted for young readers." —Kirkus

"Those seeking an inspiring true story or a great sports tale will be pleased with this stirring work." —School Library Journal

"It becomes almost impossible not to root for such a hardscrabble collection of underdogs as they exhibit hard work, sacrifice, teamwork, and loyalty at every stage of their collective journey to Berlin." —Horn Book

"With a lyrical flair, Brown tells the story of these men in a manner that intersperses the drama of the time period with the emotional and physical turmoil of their lives. Young adult readers may not understand or even know about the desperation of the Depression, or what it was like at the genesis of Nazi Germany, but the tale of these persistent men, each with their own personal struggle, will entice readers of all ages." —VOYA

Accolades for the adult edition of The Boys in the Boat:
- #1 New York Times bestseller
- 2014 ABA Adult Nonfiction Book of the Year
- 2014 Washington State Book Award

"A suspenseful tale of triumph." —USA Today

"Evocative, cinematic prose." —Publishers Weekly

"This is Chariots of Fire with oars." —David Laskin, author of The Children's Blizzard

"A great and inspiring true story." —Nathaniel Philbrick, author of Mayflower

"A thrilling, heart-thumping tale." —Timothy Egan, author of The Worst Hard Time

"A robust, emotional snapshot of an era." —James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers

Those nine young men. Coach too!

Loved the book. Nothing to not like wish it didn’t end. Second time thru as great as first

Best read for young people

What made the experience of listening to The Boys in the Boat (Young Readers Adaptation) the most enjoyable?

The struggles and triumph. Great for upper elementary aged kids. The perseverance of the main character was astounding!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Joe's story of survival is incredible. He never gave up and was rewarded in the end. Soft hearted and never selfish.

Which scene was your favorite?

He was asked why he never was angry/upset about how his father treated him, he said "getting angry takes energy, I was more worried about surviving than getting angry."

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Joe's whole life moved me, he was kick down many many times and always moved forward.

Any additional comments?

Love this book! It really needs to get into the hands of more school children. His unstoppable survival and bettering himself and those around him make it the perfect story of triumph for one that was just living each day to see the next.

I am a 5th grade teacher and my class will be reading this.

Joe Ranch and his life it was amazing

I liked how Joe Rance did not have any anger towards his dad, or his step mom 

Daniel James Brown’s Boys in the Boat Win Gold over Italy and Germany in spite of all odds.

Teammates work as one to win over almost impossible odds. A true story of love, forgiveness, heartbreak and joy.

Now I understand why my son loved rowing in high school and college.

It is a wonderful story...and true. But this is more than a story about a college crew team. It is about the Greatest Generation, their values, their sacrifices, and how they overcame virtually impossible odds to bring America back from the economic devastation of the Great Depression and a global war after that. With magnificent narration, this book also would be a great read for any American of high school age and at any socio-economic level. It is the recipe of the “American Dream”: hard work, optimism, perseverance, loving support, independent drive, and some good luck, thrown in.