Rising Above: Inspiring Women in Sports

by Gregory Zuckerman (Author)

Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade
Series: Rising Above

Behold the power of women! These are the inspirational real-life stories of female superstar athletes Serena and Venus Williams, Simone Biles, Carli Lloyd, and more -- role models all. For sports fans, aspiring athletes and readers of sports biographies.

Growing up in a crime-plagued, gang-infested neighborhood, Venus and Serena Williams were led to believe their environment was not a place where dreams could come true. It took a relentless determination, a burning desire to be the best, and a willingness to conquer racial barriers for them to emerge as tennis legends.

Simone Biles was raised by a single mother with addiction issues, forcing her grandparents to intervene. But Simone soon discovered balance beams and gymnastics mats, setting her on a path toward Olympic greatness.

Carli Lloyd, meanwhile, believed her youth soccer career was really starting to take off, only to be cut from her team. Instead of quitting the sport she loved, Carli rebuilt her confidence from the ground up, ultimately becoming one of the leaders on the World Cup Champion US Women's Soccer team.

The athletes featured in this book met earth-shaking challenges head on, and through hard work and perseverance, went on to conquer the sports world. This collection of mini biographies, complete with first-hand content drawn from interviews, is a source of inspiration and self-empowerment for kids and sports fans of all ages.

Also included in the book: Wilma Rudolph (track and field), Mo'ne Davis (Little League baseball), Swin Cash (basketball), Elena Delle Donne (basketball), Bethany Hamilton (surfing), Ronda Rousey (mixed martial arts), and Kerri Strug (gymnastics).

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School Library Journal

Gr 6-8—The second book in the "Rising Above" series focuses on famous woman athletes who achieved greatness while overcoming personal and professional challenges. Zuckerman, coauthoring with his two sons, writes about 10 U.S. athletes dealing with a variety of challenges, including medical issues, racism, and loss. Each chapter shares the athletes' backgrounds, early experiences, and achievements. The profiles span multiple eras (1960s great Wilma Rudolph, 2016 Olympian Simone Biles) and a variety of sports, from tennis to mixed martial arts. The pieces are substantial and include specific incidents; for example, Serena Williams's Indian Wells tournament experience in 2001, where she was booed by racist spectators. There is also a welcome focus on overcoming body image challenges; while certainly not unique to women, it is not often spotlighted as an obstacle to athletic success. Features on arguably lesser-known athletes, such as WBNA stars Elena Delle Donne and Swin Cash, are a nice change of pace for young readers looking for examples of positive role models. VERDICT A varied and inspiring collection of sports biographies for middle school library collections.—Casey O'Leary, Mooresville Public Library, IN

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Praise for Rising Above: Inspiring Women in Sports

"An inspiring, empowering collection of true stories of perseverance and resolve." —Kirkus Reviews

"This is a good choice for libraries where biographies about current newsmakers are in demand." —School Library Connection

"What will inspire athletes of any ability or gender is how these women turned to help when needed and learned to accept themselves inside and out." —Booklist

"A varied and inspiring collection of sports biographies." —School Library Journal
Gregory Zuckerman
Gregory Zuckerman is a Special Writer at The Wall Street Journal and the bestselling author of The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters; and The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History. He appears regularly on CNBC, Fox Business, National Public Radio, BBC, and other major media outlets. He lives with his wife and two sons in West Orange, N.J., where they enjoy the Yankees in the summer, root for the Giants in the fall, and reminisce about Linsanity in the winter. Follow @gzuckerman
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780399547485
Lexile Measure
1070
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Philomel Books
Publication date
February 26, 2019
Series
Rising Above
BISAC categories
JNF023000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Girls & Women
JNF007100 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Sports & Recreation
JNF053120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Topics | Physical & Emotional Abuse
Library of Congress categories
United States
Women
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Biography & Autobiograp
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Social Issues / Physica
Women athletes
JUVENILE NONFICTION / Girls & Women
African American women athletes

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