Sparkling Stars #21

Jack Kramer picked up tennis at thirteen when his father taught him the game, and the naturally talented kid quickly rose through boys' and junior championships before getting his shot at the nationals in 1938. His promising career was sidelined by World War II, but the big, strapping blonde has since claimed one of tennis's most coveted prizes—the Men's Singles Championship trophy.

Benny Leonard rose from a 13-year-old boxer to become one of the greatest lightweight champions of all time under manager Billy Gibson's tutelage, retiring undefeated in 1924. Seven years later, at 36 years old, he made a remarkable return to the ring for more victories before eventually retiring again and going on to serve as a commander in the U.S. Merchant Marine.

When a young boy and his loyal dog vanish into the Arizona wilderness on a cold October night, a search party races against time to find them—but the real battle for survival is happening in the woods, where the boy's dog must fight off a relentless onslaught of wild predators to keep his companion safe. This thrilling tale of animal courage and a child's will to survive celebrates an extraordinary act of loyalty that earned the dog a place in Sparkling Stars' honor roll.

Jim Thorpe's remarkable athletic career unfolds in this 1947 profile, tracing how the Carlisle student became a multi-sport standout in football, baseball, and track before earning the title of World's Greatest Athlete in 1912. From his Olympic dominance in the pentathlon and decathlon to his professional ventures in baseball and football, Thorpe's story celebrates an all-around performer whose achievements shaped the landscape of American sports.

When a madman threatens financier Russell Sage with an extortion demand and a bomb, the resulting explosion kills the bomber but leaves him unidentifiable—until a sharp reporter spots a crucial clue the police missed. Following a bloodstained button and a trail of careful detective work, investigator Ike White races to uncover the bomber's true identity before the case goes cold. A taut period mystery that shows how meticulous attention to evidence can crack a case wide open.

The Hell's Angels face off against Fritz Neron, a relentless enemy spy who seems impossibly hard to kill—he's already "dead" more than once, yet keeps returning with schemes to steal their ranch, airline, and atomic secrets. As the three former war aces scramble to stop him for good, Neron's cunning proves nearly as dangerous as his refusal to stay down, leading to a climactic showdown where reality and nightmare begin to blur.