Review: Flying High

Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles by Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Ebony Glenn.
Henry Holt and Company, Macmillan, New York, 2020.
Picture book biography, 40 pages.
Lexile: AD610L .
AR Level: 3.1 (worth 0.5 points) .

A picture book biography in verse of Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles.

Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles by Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Ebony Glenn.

I had gotten Brave Ballerina for a child a while back and was delighted to see that the same team worked on this biography of a world-famous gymnast. I’ve previously reviewed her autobiography way back in my first year of blogging, so long time readers of this blog will already know that I’m a fan. 

Web: Simone Biles

For the last little bit I’ve been thinking about occasionally sharing websites that relate to the books or topics I’m writing about as well, so here is a new category: Website Wednesday.  I won’t be doing this every week, just as I feel there is something I want to share or remember for later.

Having just reviewed Simone Biles’ new autobiography, I thought I would start off by sharing a few of my favorite sites/articles about her.  There is a lot available, this is just the tip of the iceberg!

The New York Times has a great interactive journalistic piece, which, if it will load on your computer, does a nice job breaking down why exactly Simone Biles is the best gymnast in the world, with lots of videos and commentaries.

NPR has a short interview with her which I enjoyed.

ESPN has a rare interview with her mom that gave additional perspective on her life.

And of course, you can order the book or read the first chapter from her website.

Review: Courage to Soar

Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance by Simone Biles, with Michelle Burford.
Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2016.
Young adult biography/autobiography, 250 pages.
Not yet leveled.

This is the story of Simone Biles, a gymnast who came to national and international attention as the first female gymnast ever to win three consecutive all-around titles, and then again as she took the Olympics by storm in Rio this year.

Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, a Life in Balance by Simone Biles with Michelle Burford.

This book is co-authored by Michelle Burford, a founding editor of O magazine who has assisted several public figures with their biographies, including Gabby Douglas.