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Editorial Content for Rising Above

Book

Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars

Contributors

Christine M. Irvin

Reviewer (text)

Christine M. Irvin

Author Gregory Zuckerman, with the help of his two children, Elijah and Gabriel, brings readers the inspiring stories of 11 athletes, who, as the title suggests, overcame great challenges to become stars. Each athlete featured in RISING ABOVE had to overcome some type of adversity, whether it was a physical or mental handicap, or a difficult life circumstance.

 

Readers will enjoy stories about Tim Howard, goalkeeper for Team USA who overcame Tourette's syndrome to become a powerhouse in soccer; Jim Abbott, a major league pitcher who was born without his right hand; and Althea Gibson, the first African American athlete to win a Grand Slam Tournament in tennis.

“The Zuckermans’ writing style is lively and very easy to read.”

The Zuckermans’ writing style is lively and very easy to read. The stories themselves are fairly short, so each one can be read in one session --- a nice benefit for younger readers with shorter attention spans.

 

Although I liked the book, I had a few formatting issues with RISING ABOVE. First, there is no introduction. Granted, the Zuckermans included an afterword about how and why the book was written, but I think the book would have been better with this information presented first. Also, there was no table of contents. Again, this isn't a big deal, but I would have liked to have been able to see a list of the athletes that were included without having to skim through the book.

 

My biggest gripe is that there is only one female athlete mentioned in the book. Although the included athletes are important, 10 out of 11 are men. That is not a very good percentage or accurate representation of female athletes. Despite these issues, I would recommend this book not only to boys and girls, but to men and women who can find inspiration in the perseverance and dedication of these remarkable people.

Teaser

 
Athlete after athlete in this book found discipline, hope and inspiration on the playing field, rising above their circumstances. Filled with first-hand accounts from stars who exemplify the idea of enduring at all costs, RISING ABOVE will serve as a must-read source of inspiration for kids and sports fans of all ages.

Promo

Athlete after athlete in this book found discipline, hope and inspiration on the playing field, rising above their circumstances. Filled with first-hand accounts from stars who exemplify the idea of enduring at all costs, RISING ABOVE will serve as a must-read source of inspiration for kids and sports fans of all ages.

About the Book

Discover the inspirational real-life stories of superstar athletes like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Tim Howard and more! 
     
Team USA goalkeeper Tim Howard was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome in 6th grade. He went on to become a national treasure after single-handedly keeping America competitive in the 2014 World Cup. Stephen Curry was told he was too small, too weak and too slow to even receive a scholarship to play college basketball. He outworked everyone and went on to become MVP of the National Basketball Association. Jim Abbott was born without his right hand, yet he refused to be defined by what he lacked. He went on to pitch a no-hitter in the Major Leagues.
 
Athlete after athlete in this book found discipline, hope and inspiration on the playing field, rising above their circumstances. Filled with first-hand accounts from stars who exemplify the idea of enduring at all costs, RISING ABOVE will serve as a must-read source of inspiration for kids and sports fans of all ages.