Gabby Douglas

February 1, 2014
Grades 3-6 Well-reproduced color photos become the high point of this series entry on U.S. Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas. The accompanying large-font narrative is brief and simple: Gabby and the United States team did great! Gabby won a gold medal. Gabby's love of and devotion to her sport, along with how her skills brought her to the apex of athletic recognition and what she plans to do in the aftermath, are reported without much detail. However, her family's strength, her development under her coach, and the bond shared by the U.S. Olympic team come across clearly and satisfyingly in the candid and formal shots included on every page. Although there is a significant emphasis on the amount of work involved in becoming an Olympic gymnast, there is little in the way of day-to-day information about a gymnast's life. But, nonetheless, young gymnastics enthusiasts may find Gabby's open and smiling demeanor on these pages satisfying enough to explore the sites and books noted in the bibliography.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)