Book Information

Series: Lorimer Sports Stories
Imprint: James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers
Publication Date: 4 January 2011
Copyright Year: 2011
ISBN: 9781550285109
Page Count: 76
Dimensions: 5" x 7.75"
Interest ages: 9-13

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9781550285109

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9781550285116

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9781552777497

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The Perfect Gymnast

Name: The Perfect Gymnast
SKU: 9781550285116
Availability: InStock

by Michele Martin Bossley

When twelve-year-old Abby makes a friend at gymnastics, she stops feeling shy and starts enjoying herself.

Abby has been having a hard time since her family moved from Edmonton to Calgary--she misses her best friend, and at school she feels terribly awkward, a klutz.

So she's outraged when her mother signs her up for gymnastics at a local club; outraged, that is, until Hilary befriends her. Hilary is outgoing, confident, and a top-ranked gymnast: in short, everything Abby wants to be. Soon, however, she discovers that Hilary has a serious problem: an eating disorder she tries to keep secret from everyone. Abby wants to act, but doesn't know whether she'll be helping Hilary or betraying her.

The Perfect Gymnast is a story about a girl who struggles to do the right thing, even at the risk of losing her best friend.

About the Author

MICHELE MARTIN BOSSLEY was born in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., but grew up in Calgary from the time she was five. She is the author of ten other childrens books including Taking a Dive runner-up for the R. Ross Annett Award in Children's Literature and The Perfect Gymnast nominated for the 1999 Manitoba Reader's Choice Award. One of her more recent books Pool Princess has been nominated for a Golden Eagle Children's Choice Award. Michele has been involved in both synchronized swimming and competitive swimming since her teens. She has also coached young swimmers and draws on much of that experience for her books.

Reviews

"The Perfect Gymnast will introduce to the young reader the subject of eating disorders and the pressure often felt by athletes to be unrealistically thin in an honest, sensitive manner. The novel's characters are appealing because they are regular, everyday kids attempting to deal with tough problem, and young female readers will find Bossley's novel a welcome addition to the sports stories genre. The Perfect Gymnast is fast-paced, informative, and -- at only seventy-six pages -- attractive even to reluctant readers."

Sara Brodie, Canadian Materials