  | Swimming toward a dream : Yusra Mardini's incredible journey from refugee to Olympic swimmer Author: Faruqi, Reem | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
The inspirational and unforgettable tale of competitive swimmer and Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini, who heroically helped tow her refugee boat to safety before achieving her Olympic dreams.
| Illustrator: | Enayeh, Asma |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (10/01/23)
School Library Journal (11/24/23)
Booklist (09/15/23)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/10/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 09/15/2023 Growing up (like the illustrator) in war-torn Damascus, Yusra Mardini cried the first time she saw a swimming pool as a baby, but she learned to swim before she could walk. She went on to compete in world championships at 14, then the Olympics in 2016—in the latter as a member of the “first-ever” Refugee Team in the wake of a perilous sea crossing and an exhausting journey through hostile European countries. Capped by a map of her flight and a time line, Faruqi’s simply written account of her experiences highlights both the dangers she faced and her “one breath at a time” determination to keep her Olympian dream alive. Enayeh’s equally spare gouache paintings show Mardini in the water—either in pools or in choppy waves helping to tow a small, overcrowded boat—before closing with a view of her addressing a group of children in her role as a goodwill ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. Readers who want to know more about her character, experiences, and cause can be steered to her memoir, Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian (2018). - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 11/24/2023 PreS-Gr 3—A short picture book biography of Yusra Mardini, a present-day Olympic swimmer and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. Mardini learns to swim as a toddler and dreams of entering the Olympics. When war comes to her city of Damascus, Syria, she has to set out on a perilous boat trip from Turkey to Greece. When the boat's motor stops, Mardini has to swim with the boat, but will she and the others be able to make it to shore? And even if they do, what will become of her Olympic dreams? Although for the second half of the book, the Olympic swimmer is 17, young audiences will enjoy the easy-to-follow story and colorful illustrations. Athletes and refugees are portrayed with a variety of skin tones, clothing, and hair textures. The text has a repetitive, poetic quality that makes it ideal for reading aloud. Although it discusses some traumatic experiences, the book emphasizes resilience and hope and provides examples for handling difficult situations, such as practicing even when things are hard and taking "one breath at a time" when stressed. VERDICT Add this biography to the shelves and include in themed read-alouds.—Shelby Hogle - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
