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.)