Unsinkable: From Russian Orphan to Paralympic Swimming World Champion

by Jessica Long

Overview

U.S. Paralympic swimming gold medalist Jessica Long delivers an inspirational photographic memoir detailing her journey from underdog to world-class champion athlete. 

Born in Siberia, double amputee Jessica Long was adopted from a Russian orphanage at thirteen months old and with thirteen gold medals has since become one the most decorated U.S. Paralympic athletes. Now Jessica shares all the moments, medals, and milestones in her life—big and small, heartbreaking and uplifting—that led to her domination in the Paralympic swimming world. This photographic memoir, filled with photographs, sidebars, quotes, and more, will thrill her fans and inspire those who are hearing her story for the first time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358238379
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/26/2020
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	1,049,820
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jessica Long was a Russian orphan born with a condition which forced the amputation of both her legs below the knees. But that didn't stop her determined spirit. At age twelve, she was the youngest member on the U.S. Paralympic Team, and the winner of three gold medals at the 2004 games in Athens, Greece.  Now, with thirteen Paralympic gold medals to her name, she is an established champion athlete, positive role model for young women, and source of inspiration for anyone who admires tough underdogs. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaLong and on Instagram @jessicatatianalong.
 

Editorial Reviews

"Unique in its coverage of Paralympians, and inspirational on so many levels, this is a great addition for middle school collections."—Booklist, STARRED review "Even readers who are not sports enthusiasts will appreciate Long's upbeat account of finding confidence in the water and in life."—Kirkus "Her writing style is very engaging, lively, and conversational."—School Library Journal —

From the Publisher

04/01/2018
Gr 5–8—Long was born with fibular hemimelia in both legs, leading to a double amputation below her knees. This did not deter her from achieving her dream of Paralympic glory. Long was born in Siberia as Tatiana Olegovna Kirillova, and at 13 months was adopted by the Long family. They opted for the surgery that made mobility possible. Through hard work and perseverance, Long has become the second most decorated U.S. Paralympic athlete, winning her first gold medal at 12 years old, the youngest to do so. This memoir is gripping and inspiring but at times lacks cohesion. It starts with her first Paralympic victory as a hook and then jumps to her adoption and surgery, but the main focus is on her Paralympic and competitive swimming career. There are some allusions to other aspects of her life, but in total, this focus is on swimming. There are also a lot of engaging photos, all clearly captioned. However, at times people appear in photos before being mentioned in the text. Still, the narrative is easy to follow and completely age appropriate in style and format. The design is well organized with several sidebars that provide tips and facts to flesh out the details of Long's life. Her writing style is very engaging, lively, and conversational. VERDICT A general purchase for libraries with middle grade memoir fans.—Kristyn Dorfman, The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn

School Library Journal

2018-03-27
In a series of "moments," Paralympic swimmer Long describes how she became "the second-most decorated Paralympian of all time.""I've never been good at listening to people. They always seem to tell me what I can't do," writes Long, setting the theme for her informative—if somewhat disorganized—discussion of sports, family, physical disability, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Christianity. Born in Siberia with fibular hemimelia, a condition that later necessitated the amputation of her legs, Long was adopted into an American family that encouraged her love of swimming. ("God had a plan for that little Russian orphan," she concludes.) The youngest member of the U.S. Paralympic swim team at age 12, she went on to compete in the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 Paralympic Games. Her acceptance into a "second family" of other amputees after growing up without disabled peers will resonate with readers who also desire camaraderie with others like themselves. Though Long's disdain for physical or emotional weakness borders on cliché, the sacrifices her grueling training requires—and her desire to make them worthwhile—provide sympathetic context for her aversion to "giving in." The book's bright color scheme is occasionally hard on the eyes; blues and reds in the accompanying photos are intense, and white text on yellow and sky blue backgrounds blurs the first page of each chapter. Long and her family present white.Even readers who are not sports enthusiasts will appreciate Long's upbeat account of finding confidence in the water and in life. (Memoir. 8-14)

Kirkus Reviews