menu

Home » Error 404: Page not found

Sneaker Century: A History of Athletic Shoes, Keyser, Amber J.

Sneaker Century: A History of Athletic Shoes

Author: Keyser, Amber J.
Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
ISBN: 9781512456400, Related ISBNs: 1512456403, 15247EB, 9781467726405, 9781467763097, 9781512456400
Classification: Fiction

Synopsis

Whether you call them kicks or sneakers, runners or gutties, you probably have a pair of athletic shoes in your closet. The earliest sneakers debuted in the 1800s and weren't much more than a canvas upper and a flexible sole made of a crazy new material—rubber. The stuff might have been new to Americans then, but for thousands of years, the indigenous peoples of the Amazon Basin of South America had been using latex made from the milky sap of hevea trees to protect their feet from rocks, sticks, and biting insects. Once Charles Goodyear figured out how to make the stuff more durable, sneakers were here to stay.

Early sneakers were initially designed for elite athletes, but kids and teens quickly adopted them. Some of the first brands included Converse, Brooks, and Saucony. German companies Adidas and Puma started up during World War II. The Nike shoe debuted in the 1970s (with a bit of inspiration from a waffle iron). As fitness crazes took off in the 1980s, people all over the world started buying the shoes for workouts and everyday wear. At about the same time, companies began hiring high-profile athletes and pop stars for big-dollar endorsements, and shoe sales soared into the stratosphere to the tune of billions of dollars each year.

In Sneaker Century, follow sneaker fashions and the larger-than-life personalities behind the best known athletic shoe brands in history. Learn how teen sneakerheads became important style makers and drove the success of NIKE, Inc., and other shoe companies. Look behind the scenes at the labor-intensive process of manufacturing sneakers. Explore the sneaker frontier of the future—recycled shoes, earth-friendly initiatives, and high-fashion statements. Get ready to speed through the Sneaker Century!

Expand to learn more

Collapse

Try us for free

Why read a book on LightSail?

📖
LightSail is a complete language arts
solution for homeschoolers

LightSail is Lexile® Driven

A scientifically-validated metric for matching children
with the perfect books to promote reading progress.

Included in your subscription

*Included in the premium subscription

AN AWARD-WINNING LITERACY SOLUTION

With growing influence…

Common sense

5 STAR RATING FROM EXPERTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE ...FOR TWO YEARS RUNNING!

Common Sense Media’s Graphite site for educators praises LightSail as “a powerful platform for developing engaged readers.” Real-time assessments and feedback were especially noted in awarding LightSail Graphite’s highest honor.

In addition, LightSail is one of the most highly-reviewed literacy products on Graphite by teachers.

Learning rating

Teacher rating


Our blog

Literacy in action

Including Poetry in Your Homeschool Reading Curriculum

Posted on 17.Mar.22 in Book Recommendations

Think poetry is just for language arts time? Think again! The works of great poets can weave their way into nearly every subject of your homeschool day.  1. Classic Poems Like many homeschoolers, you may find that older poems are among your favorites. Reading: Do your emerging readers get overwhelmed with long blocks of text? […]

Continue reading »

Women’s History Month Projects for High Schoolers

Posted on 14.Mar.22 in Book Recommendations

March is Women’s History Month, the perfect opportunity to focus on influential women in history. When your kids were little, you might have celebrated the month with picture books, coloring sheets, and hands-on projects. Now that you have high schoolers, is there still time in the day for observing special occasions like this? Of course! […]

Continue reading »

4 Ways to Celebrate Women’s History Month with Your Elementary Students

Posted on 14.Mar.22 in Book Recommendations

Kids are never too young to learn about the amazing women who have shaped history. Women’s History Month is the perfect time to highlight incredible women in your homeschool reading and writing program. Check out these four easy ways to make it happen. 1. Inspirational Copywork Elementary kids often need all the penmanship practice they […]

Continue reading »

Contact us