Bethany Hamilton

January 1, 2019
Grades 3-6 For children not familiar with surfer Bethany Hamilton's tragedy, this biography in the She Dared series recounts the harrowing moment when a 14-foot tiger shark bit off the 13-year-old's arm. While engaging text puts readers in the life-or-death moment, the book focuses more on Bethany's recovery. Rather than seeing herself as a victim, she concentrates on being a survivor and reimagining the dream she held when she still had two arms: becoming a pro surfer. Walsh takes readers through Bethany's step-by-step, day-by-day recovery process as she starts all over as a grom, a new surfer learning how to stand on a board. Also at the heart of this biography is Bethany's reliance on faith and how she used her personal experience to help others overcome their hardships. Readers see Bethany's ultimate test of perseverance when she competes in her first pro competition with her self-nicknamed Stumpy. Special features include photographs, Bethany's many roles (athlete, author, TV star, etc.) since her accident, surfing terms, and information on wave reports, which further enhance this inspirational journey.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

November 1, 2018

Gr 3-5-This volume in the series recounts the story of Bethany Hamilton, a competitive surfer who lost an arm in a shark attack at the age of 13. Beginning with the morning that the attack occurred, Walsh describes the aftermath of the incident, Hamilton's medical procedures and physical recovery, and her return to surfing competition on the national stage. The story is told simply, taking readers from scene to scene during this period in Hamilton's life and providing insight into some of the basics of surfing sport and culture. Many of the passages are powerful, depicting the drama of Hamilton's experiences and demonstrating the impact of her Christian faith, her mental toughness, and her family's support. However, the tone of the text occasionally becomes too conversational, with sentence fragments and single-word sentences that seem out of place. Back matter includes a glossary of surfing terms and a question-and-answer section about wave reports. VERDICT Although this book does not break much new ground in Hamilton's story, it may serve as an introduction for younger readers who are not ready to take on Hamilton's memoir Soul Surfer.-Sarah Reid, Four County Library System, NY

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.