From School Library Journal Gr 4 Up—Figure Skater Chen's memoir chronicles her career from her first time on the ice to winning the U.S. National Championship in 2017. She describes herself as a quiet, shy kid with a perfectionist streak. Chen's love for skating and dedication to the sport come across clearly. In the prologue, she writes, "Ice skating is the closest I get to flying—it's the only time I feel weightless and free." She shares how she overcame nerves and self-doubt at various points in her career and how she came back from a serious injury. Chen was a natural skater, but readers can see how hard she worked to get where she is with the support of her family, her coaches, and her mentor Kristi Yamaguchi, who provides the foreword. The prose is straightforward and full of detail about skating life. The epilogue includes a glossary of figure skating terms and technical rules. However, readers looking for information on Chen's personal life will not find it here. VERDICT Chen's fans and young skating enthusiasts will find much to devour about life as a competitive skater, while general memoir readers may not find much of a connection.—Mindy Rhiger, Hennepin County Library, MN Read more Review “Chen’s fans and young skating enthusiasts will find much to devour about life as a competitive skater.” (School Library Journal) Read more See all Editorial Reviews
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