Unsinkable

April 1, 2018

Gr 5-8-Long was born with fibular hemimelia in both legs, leading to a double amputation below her knees. This did not deter her from achieving her dream of Paralympic glory. Long was born in Siberia as Tatiana Olegovna Kirillova, and at 13 months was adopted by the Long family. They opted for the surgery that made mobility possible. Through hard work and perseverance, Long has become the second most decorated U.S. Paralympic athlete, winning her first gold medal at 12 years old, the youngest to do so. This memoir is gripping and inspiring but at times lacks cohesion. It starts with her first Paralympic victory as a hook and then jumps to her adoption and surgery, but the main focus is on her Paralympic and competitive swimming career. There are some allusions to other aspects of her life, but in total, this focus is on swimming. There are also a lot of engaging photos, all clearly captioned. However, at times people appear in photos before being mentioned in the text. Still, the narrative is easy to follow and completely age appropriate in style and format. The design is well organized with several sidebars that provide tips and facts to flesh out the details of Long's life. Her writing style is very engaging, lively, and conversational. VERDICT A general purchase for libraries with middle grade memoir fans.-Kristyn Dorfman, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2018
In a series of "moments," Paralympic swimmer Long describes how she became "the second-most decorated Paralympian of all time.""I've never been good at listening to people. They always seem to tell me what I can't do," writes Long, setting the theme for her informative--if somewhat disorganized--discussion of sports, family, physical disability, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Christianity. Born in Siberia with fibular hemimelia, a condition that later necessitated the amputation of her legs, Long was adopted into an American family that encouraged her love of swimming. ("God had a plan for that little Russian orphan," she concludes.) The youngest member of the U.S. Paralympic swim team at age 12, she went on to compete in the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 Paralympic Games. Her acceptance into a "second family" of other amputees after growing up without disabled peers will resonate with readers who also desire camaraderie with others like themselves. Though Long's disdain for physical or emotional weakness borders on cliché, the sacrifices her grueling training requires--and her desire to make them worthwhile--provide sympathetic context for her aversion to "giving in." The book's bright color scheme is occasionally hard on the eyes; blues and reds in the accompanying photos are intense, and white text on yellow and sky blue backgrounds blurs the first page of each chapter. Long and her family present white.Even readers who are not sports enthusiasts will appreciate Long's upbeat account of finding confidence in the water and in life. (Memoir. 8-14)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from March 1, 2018
Grades 5-7 *Starred Review* This is the photo-illustrated autobiography of an extraordinary young woman who was born in Russia, adopted by an amazing family in Maryland, had both legs amputated below the knee due to a birth defect, and found her passion in swimming, becoming a professional athlete who won 23 medals (13 gold) over a career that spanned 16 years and 4 Paralympics. She's also an inspirational speaker, fashion model, and ESPY Award winner, but still manages to come across as completely approachable, down-to-earth, and extremely grateful for the support and opportunities that have come her way. Jessica Long tells her story through short chapters devoted to self-defined life-changing moments, with an engaging narrative helped along by plenty of family and professional photos. Her strong love and appreciation for her family shines through (her sister, Hannah, is her coauthor), as does her devotion to her Christian faith (there's no proselytizing, just casual references to her belief and its impact on her daily life). Long also tells of being reunited with her biological family in Russia, and how this brings additional joy into her life. Unique in its coverage of Paralympians, and inspirational on so many levels, this is a great addition for middle-school collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)