  | Bravey : chasing dreams, befriending pain, and other big ideas Author: Pappas, Alexi | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
Alexi Pappas is not only an Olympic runner, actress, filmmaker, she is a writer whose heartwarming and life-affirming memoir will inspire young readers, as she shares the touchstone moments in her life that helped her learn about confidence and self-reliance, compassion and forgiveness, and loss and hope.
Reviews:
Booklist (09/01/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 09/01/2023 Olympic distance runner, filmmaker, and writer Pappas pares down her empowering memoir in this adaptation for younger readers. In episodic, loosely chronological chapters, she describes the trauma as a child of losing her mother to suicide, running competitively at the collegiate level, training for the Olympics (and all its physical pain), finding mentors for different areas of her life, spiraling into a post-Olympic depression, and seeking therapy. At the heart of the personal narratives is becoming a bravey, or someone who sets goals that push them to grow and works with resilience to achieve them. Most of the chapters conclude with a recap of tips for staying strong mentally and physically. Of particular importance for adolescent readers is Pappas’ chapter on puberty, in which she emphasizes health over fitness, notes how many sports programs get it wrong when it comes to women athletes, and calls puberty what it is—“a superpower” and a time for girls to find their strengths. Poetic affirmations between chapters reinforce Pappas’ encouragement and lovely voice in her inspiring stories. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
