   | Unsinkable : from Russian orphan to paralympic swimming world champion Author: Long, Jessica Tatiana | |
| Price: $21.88 | ||
Summary:
Born in Siberia with fibular hemimelia, Jessica Long was adopted from a Russian orphanage at thirteen months old and has since become the second most decorated U.S. Paralympic athlete of all time. Now, Jessica shares all the moments in her life-big and small, heartbreaking and uplifting-that led to her domination in the Paralympic swimming world.
| Added Entry - Personal Name: | Long, Hannah |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 6.40 Points: 3.0 Quiz: 195304 | Reading Counts Information: Interest Level: 6-8 Reading Level: 8.40 Points: 6.0 Quiz: 72369 | |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (00/04/18)
Booklist (+) (03/01/18)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/01/2018 *Starred Review* This is the photo-illustrated autobiography of an extraordinary young woman who was born in Russia, adopted by an amazing family in Maryland, had both legs amputated below the knee due to a birth defect, and found her passion in swimming, becoming a professional athlete who won 23 medals (13 gold) over a career that spanned 16 years and 4 Paralympics. She’s also an inspirational speaker, fashion model, and ESPY Award winner, but still manages to come across as completely approachable, down-to-earth, and extremely grateful for the support and opportunities that have come her way. Jessica Long tells her story through short chapters devoted to self-defined life-changing moments, with an engaging narrative helped along by plenty of family and professional photos. Her strong love and appreciation for her family shines through (her sister, Hannah, is her coauthor), as does her devotion to her Christian faith (there’s no proselytizing, just casual references to her belief and its impact on her daily life). Long also tells of being reunited with her biological family in Russia, and how this brings additional joy into her life. Unique in its coverage of Paralympians, and inspirational on so many levels, this is a great addition for middle-school collections. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 04/01/2018 Gr 5–8—Long was born with fibular hemimelia in both legs, leading to a double amputation below her knees. This did not deter her from achieving her dream of Paralympic glory. Long was born in Siberia as Tatiana Olegovna Kirillova, and at 13 months was adopted by the Long family. They opted for the surgery that made mobility possible. Through hard work and perseverance, Long has become the second most decorated U.S. Paralympic athlete, winning her first gold medal at 12 years old, the youngest to do so. This memoir is gripping and inspiring but at times lacks cohesion. It starts with her first Paralympic victory as a hook and then jumps to her adoption and surgery, but the main focus is on her Paralympic and competitive swimming career. There are some allusions to other aspects of her life, but in total, this focus is on swimming. There are also a lot of engaging photos, all clearly captioned. However, at times people appear in photos before being mentioned in the text. Still, the narrative is easy to follow and completely age appropriate in style and format. The design is well organized with several sidebars that provide tips and facts to flesh out the details of Long's life. Her writing style is very engaging, lively, and conversational. VERDICT A general purchase for libraries with middle grade memoir fans.—Kristyn Dorfman, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
