G.O.A.T.--Simone Biles

This detailed profile of Simone Biles argues that she is the greatest gymnast of all time. What are the criteria for being the "greatest of all time" in a field? This book posits an answer to that question and makes a compelling argument for Simone Biles as the G.O.A.T. of women's gymnastics. To be an elite athlete takes a level of focus, training, dedication, and talent that most people don't have. To become the G.O.A.T. requires another level of all of these, and Blackaby details not only the mental toughness and flexibility that get the African American gymnast through her hours of training, occasional setbacks, and nerve-wracking competitions, but the tools needed to attain those mental skills. These include a sports psychologist, the right coach, tough decisions about other areas of her life, and supportive family who invested in her success. A brief chapter on Biles' home life and family is followed by more detail about her years of training and competitions. The focus on how she kept moving toward her goal sustains readers' interest to the last page. Easy-to-read type with large, pink subheadings and full-color photographs sprinkled through the pages make this small volume read like a magazine. It's a pleasingly, uniquely humanizing lens on the price of success for one young athlete of international renown. A lengthy bibliography provides plenty of references. Informative and thrilling, it's like a Rocky movie for kids. (glossary, index) (Biography. 8-14)(Glossary, Bibliography, Index)

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November 22, 2019

Gr 4-7-Gymnast Simon Biles has captured hearts with her gravity-defying acrobatics and dazzled viewers for years. This biography argues that she is the greatest gymnast of all time. Biles's grandparents adopted her and her younger sister from their single mother, moving the girls to Texas and enrolling Biles in gymnastics as an outlet for her energy. The coaches saw something special in the young and untrained Biles: her fearlessness, natural mimicry skills, and "air sense" (her ability to know where she is in relation to the ground). Blackaby explores Biles's rigorous mental preparation, the hours she spent practicing, and her steady rise to stardom. Readers will see the perseverance and grit it took for the gymnast to outpace her competitors and reach her goals. The clear, concise writing, supported by full-color photographs, stats that highlight her excellence, and facts called out in pink text blocks, will inspire readers to find their own passion and commit to it wholeheartedly. VERDICT With the 2020 Olympics on the horizon, this will be a good biography to have handy.-Abby Bussen, Muskego Public Library, WI

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2019
Grades 5-8 The story opens with six-year-old Simone Biles watching gymnasts practice and eager to try every move she sees. Though her homelife has been somewhat unstable, she now lives with her grandparents, who have adopted her. The narrative highlights Biles' personal strengths, her challenges (including ADHD), and her growth as an athlete striving to do her best in a series of national and world championships, including the 2016 Olympics. In addition, the book offers information about the sports' apparatuses and events, the basics of scoring, and the rigorous training necessary for elite gymnasts. The series title, G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time), is an acronym most often applied to athletes. In the book's introduction, Blackaby asks readers to decide which gymnast deserves the title. For the next 100 pages, she makes a strong case for Simone Biles. The book's many clear color photos work well with the text. One helpful double-page spread includes 18 overlapping images of Biles performing a vault. An appealing paperback, particularly with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the horizon.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)