About the Author

John Cooper is a corporate communications specialist for the Government of Ontario. He also teaches corporate communications at Centennial College in Toronto, and writes books. John has been interested in African-Canadian history since he was 12 years-old when he read Black Like Me. He is a member of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, and is editor of their newsletter.

John Cooper first wrote about Rapid Ray Lewis in his adult book, Shadow Running. He also co-wrote and edited My Name's Not George. Rapid Ray- The Story of Ray Lewis is a book for younger readers which is both a social history and a book about running.

John Cooper lives in Whitby, Ontario with his wife and three children.

Reviews

“While sports fans will find the story eminently readable for its tale of victory, they’ll also find here a depth of wisdom that’s not usually associated with sports writing…This is a rewarding read and, with a chronology and index, it’s a most welcome and much needed addition to black Canadian history for children.”
–Deirdre Baker, The Toronto Star

“…it is fascinating to read about Lewis’s experiences…Rapid Ray is definitely worth reading.”
–Canadian Children’s Book News