My Shot

December 15, 2017
WNBA star Delle Donne shares her story of basketball success with an emphasis on how she has overcome trials and tribulations while maintaining her commitment to her family and friends.Coming out publicly as a lesbian before the 2016 Olympics is almost glossed over, but Delle Donne's commitment to her sister, Lizzie, who was born blind and deaf with cerebral palsy and later diagnosed as autistic, is there from beginning to end. This commitment has led Delle Donne to include girls with disabilities in her basketball camps and to a role as an ambassador to the Special Olympics. Still, Delle Donne's career is the focus, and readers hear much more about wins and losses than they gain in understanding of the challenges Lizzie faces. (The ballplayer's bouts with Lyme disease have also led to work with the Lyme Research Alliance.) While there is plenty of basketball for devotees of the game, Delle Donne gives equal time to the psychology of winning and losing, and she emphasizes that the difference between a great player and a good one is not just talent. Amid the motivational insights is nestled the tremendous support she has had from her white, middle-class family. Along with co-writer Durand, she pens a breezy, conversational narrative that goes down easily.Inspiring in many ways, this will be meat and potatoes to girls with their own basketball aspirations. (Memoir. 10-16)

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April 1, 2018

Gr 7 Up-Elena Delle Donne is a six-foot, five WNBA star, and she's got a great back story and tells it with gusto. Born with natural talent, she learned at an early age to accept the fact that she was different. Basketball was a natural fit for the remarkably tall young girl. Always the perfectionist, she drove herself hard, and as a result, she started to suffer from burnout in her teens. She warily accepted a scholarship at the University of Connecticut, but she abruptly left, and in the course of many soul-searching walks in the woods, came down with Lyme disease, and the symptoms intermittingly forcing her to sit out. Yet she made a decision to trust her instincts and listen to her heart. This mind-set lead her to come back to the sport-this time, very much on her own terms. This upbeat autobiography follows Delle Donne through her many accomplishments. She stresses her personal motto, "Demand Excellence," that lead her to put in the hard work to achieve her goals. Additionally, she offers advice in a direct, accessible manner ("Being an adult is still hard when the going gets tough! Luckily, you can develop skills that will get you through your problems or setbacks."). VERDICT Sports-minded teens will devour this fast-paced narrative. Recommended for all school libraries.-Denise Kim, Bronx High School of Science, NY

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