Title: GOLD MEDAL SUMMERAuthor: Donna Freitas
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books (a Scholastic imprint)
Release Date: June 1, 2012
Number of Pages: 240
Source of Book: ARC from publisher at NCTE
Just in time for the Olympics: A gymnastics novel to flip for!
Joey
Jordan loves gymnastics: the thrill of performing a backflip on the
beam, the cheers of the audience when she sticks a landing. But even
with all her talent and style, she’s never quite made it to that gold
medal stand.Now big changes shake up Joey’s life in and out of
the gym. Joey wants to break out some daring new beam and floor
routines–but she’ll have to defy her strict coach to do it. Her best
friend, Alex, is thinking about quitting gymnastics for good. And an old
friend named Tanner just moved back to town, and he’s suddenly gotten
very, very cute. Can Joey handle all the challenges coming her way, and
make her gold medal summer happen at last?Drawing on her
real-life experience as a competitive gymnast, acclaimed novelist Donna
Freitas delivers both a terrific gymnastics story and a classic novel
about stretching some limits, bending the rules, and finding your
balance.
I really enjoyed Donna Freitas’ first book, THE POSSIBILITIES OF SAINTHOOD, and I expected a similar style of a fun, contemporary, romantic book with a teen girl coming into her own and finding her own strength in becoming confident in herself. GOLD MEDAL SUMMER met that expectation in a great middle grades story that is very timely with the summer Olympics coming up this summer. This book was a quick read because it is definitely written on a level for 5th-8th grades, but it touches on a lot of themes throughout. It’s a sports story, but it’s also a story about family and friendships and young romance.
I really enjoyed the realism of the whole story. There was no unnecessary drama, it all just felt true to what these young girls would have been going through. There’s also a great guy character as the romantic interest who is just a sweetheart. The insiders view of competitive gymnastics was intriguing, and made all the more interesting by knowing that the author was a competitive gymnast herself when she was younger. I completely bought into the family dynamics in this story as well. Joey is struggling with her relationships with her older sister and both of her parents, but she is able to come to terms and deal with them in a mature way.
When I met the author at NCTE, she said that she wrote the book she would have wanted to read when she was 12. I can see how that’s true and think many other girls will feel the same way. Overall this was an enjoyable book that I will definitely be handing off to my students in the fall. I imagine the girls will be reading and passing this one on to each other.
Will be sure to check out both of the author's books. Thanks for recommending!
This would take me back to my own days at the gym . . . gymnastics is a unique world full of lots of conflict to explore, especially at that age.
I think my daughter would enjoy this – she is only 8 so I might have to read it first to see if it would be OK for her. Thanks for the great review!
Another one going on my list… Thanks for highlighting it!
It sounds like this book is out at the perfect time! I never did gymnastics growing up, but liked watching it on tv when the Olympics were on- so I probably would have wanted to read this book. Great review.
~Jess
This book sounds fabulous! I'm a sucker for anything related to the Olympics. 🙂
Sounds like a great look into a world in which most of us only see the "glories" of–like the Olympics. So much work and sacrifice goes into those TV moments we catch.
I may go ahead and order this one without reading it, since it's gotten good reviews. I felt bad deaccessioning my only gymnastics book (Bonham's The Rascals from Haskell's Gym), but it was sooo old and unappealing. This does look very good.