The Listen & Be Heard Hour for Readers & Writers
s3e12
Donna Janell Bowman (Author)
Daniel Minter (Illustrator)
Step Right Up, How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness
The 19th century was a brutal time for animals, but William “Doc” Key, a formerly-enslaved, self-taught veterinarian and entrepreneur, believed that kindness was more powerful than cruelty. He determined to prove it by using only kindness and patience to “educate” a once-sickly and crooked-legged colt born in 1889. The colt, named Jim Key, later Beautiful Jim Key, was declared the smartest horse in the world, seemingly able to read, spell words, calculate math problems, and more. Despite racial prejudice and skepticism, Doc and Beautiful Jim Key ultimately fueled the humane movement and inspired millions of people to be kinder to animals. About two million people signed the Jim Key kindness pledge.
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
