Description
Product Description
Discover the inspirational real-life stories of superstar athletes like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Tim Howard, and more!
"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
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, Rising Above will serve as a must-read source of inspiration for kids and sports fans of all ages.
A Scholastic Teacher magazine Summer Reading List selection
A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Summer Reading List selection
Review
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. Though the people chronicled are all athletes, their 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
About the Author
Gregory Zuckerman is a Special Writer at The Wall Street Journal and the bestselling author of The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters; and The Greatest Trade Ever: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History. He appears regularly on CNBC, Fox Business, National Public Radio, BBC, and other major media outlets. He 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 @gzuckerman
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Stephen Curry
There wasn’t a single college willing to give Stephen Curry a chance. His dream of playing professional basketball seemed a long shot. A really long shot.
It was 2004, and Stephen was a high school sophomore. His father had played pro basketball and been a star. Steph grew up in North Carolina, close to some of the best college programs in the country, an ideal place to showcase his talent for top NCAA programs. And Steph had passion for basketball, an accurate shot, and a hunger to make it to the NBA.
But no one took Stephen very seriously. He kept hearing how he was too tiny and skinny to play Division I basketball, the top collegiate level. The NBA seemed truly out of the question. It didn’t help that Steph had a boyish