Rising Above: Inspiring Women in Sports

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.