The state Humanities Council has delivered over 13,000 free books for third-grade students across South Dakota.
It’s part of the annual Young Readers program, and organizers say it aims to help get students at every public, private, tribal or home school reading.
The Young Readers One Book selection for 2025 is Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills. That book tells the story of the Oglala Lakota Olympic gold medalist and features illustrations by artist S.D. Nelson, who is also Lakota.
The book tells Mills’ story, journeying from Pine Ridge all to way to his ultimate destination as a world-class Olympian.
The story culminates with his last-second dash for the gold in the 10,000m race at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.