Book Review: She Persist in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger

She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changed the Game
by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger (j796.48 Cli)

In researching books about they Olympics to help a co-worker with her “Summer Olympics Reading List” booklist, I stumbled across this third volume in the series of short picture book biographies of significant women, written by Chelsea Clinton and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger.

 

In their first two volumes, this creative team covered She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World, and She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History. In this latest (2019) entry, they offer up 13 more inspirational real-life stories, though three of those feature pairs (siblings or teammates) instead of just individuals. In keeping with their “She Persisted…” theme, all of the women in their stories were actively discouraged from pursuing their athletic dreams, but through persistence, perseverance and dogged stubbornness, all the profiled individuals surpassed athletic milestones previously thought unattainable or somehow inappropriate.

 

Individuals (or teams) profiled here include: Margaret Ives Abbott (golf), Gertrude Ederle (swimming), Mildred “Babe” Didrickson Zaharias (multiple sports), Wilma Rudolph (track and field), Jean Driscoll (wheelchair sports and Paralympian), Mia Hamm (and the USA women’s soccer teams of 1996 and later), Kristi Yamaguchi (figure skating), Venus and Serena Williams (tennis), Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings (beach volleyball), Diana Taurasi (basketball), Simone Biles (gymnastics), Ibtihaj Muhammad (fencing), and Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureaux (hockey).

 

This is a charming an inspirational short read for anyone wishing to celebrate female American athletes, throughout various eras of sporting history. And especially with the Summer Olympics currently providing its own array of inspirational figures right now!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World and She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History, also by Chelsea Clinton and Alexandra Boiger.]

[ Wikipedia page for Chelsea Clinton ] | [ official Alexandra Boiger web site ]

See the new Summer Olympics Reading List on BookGuide for more titles similar to this!

 

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Services

 

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