
By Laurie Hernandez, Nina Mata (Illustrator)
A young girl learns to navigate the challenges of gymnastics and perseverance after a fall.
Zoe dreams of flying and finds her wings in gymnastics. Inspired by a gymnast on TV, she enrolls in a class, only to fall off the balance beam. As she faces the fear and difficulty of pursuing her dreams, Zoe learns the vital lesson of resilience: to always get back up and believe in herself. Will she find the courage to soar? This heartwarming tale, with vibrant illustrations, captures the essence of perseverance and self-belief, echoing the journey of an Olympic champion.
A New York Times bestseller! From gold-medal-winning Olympic gymnast and bestselling author Laurie Hernandez comes a picture book about chasing your dreams and never giving up. Even Olympians have to start somewhere. And in this charming illustrated book, Laurie Hernandez tells the story of Zoe, a little girl who dreams of flying—and becoming a gymnast. When Zoe sees a gymnast on TV, she realizes that gymnastics is just like flying. But when she first goes to class and falls off the balance beam, she discovers that following her dreams is harder and scarier than she thought. Through this heartwarming and inspirational story, featuring vibrant art from Nina Mata, Laurie imparts important lessons she learned on her way to Olympic glory: You always have to get back up and try again, and you always have to believe in yourself.
4.5
out of 7
“When I saw this book on the shelf and saw that it was written by Laurie Hernandez, I hoped it would be autobiographical. It's not, but it is a cute little story about trying again even after you make mistakes, and learning from those mistakes along the way. The illustrations are fine, and so is the writing. It's nothing amazing to write home about, but it might create a teachable moment, and aspiring little gymnasts will love it.”
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