Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars

Discover inspirational real-life stories of superstar athletes in this collection of sports biographies featuring LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Tim Howard, and more

Team USA goalkeeper Tim Howard was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome in 6th grade. He went on to become a national treasure after single-handedly keeping America competitive in the 2014 World Cup. Stephen Curry was told he was too small, too weak, and too slow to even receive a scholarship to play college basketball. He outworked everyone and went on to become MVP of the National Basketball Association. Jim Abbott was born without his right hand, yet he refused to be defined by what he lacked. He went on to pitch a no-hitter in the Major Leagues.

Athlete after athlete in this book found discipline, hope, and inspiration on the playing field, rising above their circumstances. Filled with first-hand accounts from stars who exemplify the idea of enduring at all costs, this collection of sports biographies will serve as a must-read source of inspiration for kids and sports fans of all ages.

Praise for Rising Above

A Scholastic Teacher magazine Summer Reading List selection
A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Summer Reading List selection

An easy pitch for middle school sports lovers.--School Library Journal

"This collection of mini-bios about athletes who overcame major obstacles packs a powerful message--perseverance and passion pay off. Even non-sports fans will cheer for superstars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry."--Scholastic Teacher

So many of the obstacles that these athletes share are retold using personal interviews and primary source material that young readers will find very relatable. T]heir stories have morals that are easily transferred to life off the court or the field. The highly relevant message is that no situation is too dire or insurmountable with the right attitude and that young people shouldn't allow setbacks to define them.--Booklist

O]ften inspiring . . . The underdog stories reveal that dedication and perseverance pay off, as well as that sports can serve as needed outlets and refuges.--Publishers Weekly

I would rate this a 9 1/2 . . . it touch es] your heart very often with the ways these athletes turn ed] their lives around.--Colorado Kids

Author: Gregory Zuckerman, Elijah Zuckerman, Gabriel Zuckerman
Publisher: Philomel Books
Published: 05/03/2016
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.80w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780399173820
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 7
Point Value: 8
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 183368 / Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 03/15/2016
School Library Journal 04/01/2016 pg. 186
Booklist 05/01/2016 pg. 78
Publishers Weekly 05/16/2016

About the Author
Gregory Zuckerman (www.gregoryzuckerman.com) is a Special Writer at The Wall Street Journal, a 20-year veteran of the paper and a three-time winner of the Gerald Loeb award -- the highest honor in business journalism. Greg is the author of The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters, a national bestseller named among the best books of 2014 by The Financial Times and Forbes Magazine, and The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller published December 2010.

At the Journal, Greg writes about big financial firms, personalities and trades, hedge funds, the energy revolution and other investing and business topics. Greg appears regularly on CNBC, Fox Business, Yahoo Finance, Bloomberg Television and various television networks. He makes regular appearances on National Public Radio, BBC, ABC Radio, Bloomberg Radio, and radio stations around the globe. Greg gives speeches to business groups on a variety of topics.

A graduate of Brandeis University, Greg lives with his wife and two sons in West Orange, N.J., where they enjoy the Yankees in the summer, root for the Giants in the fall, and reminisce about Linsanity in the winter. Follow him on Twitter @gzuckerman.