Bethany Hamilton (She Dared)

Gr 3-5--This volume in the series recounts the story of Bethany Hamilton, a competitive surfer who lost an arm in a shark attack at the age of 13. Beginning with the morning that the attack occurred, Walsh describes the aftermath of the incident, Hamilton's medical procedures and physical recovery, and her return to surfing competition on the national stage. The story is told simply, taking readers from scene to scene during this period in Hamilton's life and providing insight into some of the basics of surfing sport and culture. Many of the passages are powerful, depicting the drama of Hamilton's experiences and demonstrating the impact of her Christian faith, her mental toughness, and her family's support. However, the tone of the text occasionally becomes too conversational, with sentence fragments and single-word sentences that seem out of place. Back matter includes a glossary of surfing terms and a question-and-answer section about wave reports. VERDICT Although this book does not break much new ground in Hamilton's story, it may serve as an introduction for younger readers who are not ready to take on Hamilton's memoir Soul Surfer.--Sarah Reid, Four County Library System, NY