I would like to share a new addition to our Christmas Gift Guide 23: Stronger Thank She Thinks by Nancy Kerrigan (Author), Ryan G. Van Cleave Arief Putra (Illustrator) by Nancy Kerrigan which is a children’s book I received for this review and a spot in our Christmas Gift Guide.
I wish my niece’s Lily or Payton and Daisy were here this morning to share the book with but they weren’t but that was fine Charlie actually sat down ad read the story with me. Even though there was a adorable little girl on the cover of the book in a skating dress with her skates. Surprise Surprise. You should see the smile on her face you can tell skating makes her so happy.
Before we dove into the story I explained to Charlie who Nancy Kerrigan was and we’ve added her to our Homeschool Lesson Plans as well as a Skating Field Trip because Charlie hasn’t ever been skating. Have you? I love how when you purchase a copy of this book they will donate a book to a child in need so please ask everyone you know to purchase one and share this information with everyone you know so we can bless a lot of children.
In the story we learn how Nancy loves spots like bike riding and it seems she never slows down just like Charlie used to be. Which is why Nancy loved skating. Although, Nancy didn’t just skate she did figure skating which is dancing on ice that she had to take lessons for. To pay for the lessons her dad worked three jobs. Nancy’s mom stayed home because she was blind.
Charlie learned what a Zamboni is which is a new word for our Homeschool Spelling Test. Nancy had a passle of kids in her class at first then just a few until one day it was just her. I wonder if that made her lonely? What do you think? Did you know Nancy couldn’t land a axel and if your know sure what that is you can look it up like Charlie and I did.
Nancy kept trying and trying to learn the axle but her shoes was to small and there was no, money for new shoes. Nancy only had two chooses quit skating or deal with the pain. What do you think she did? Finally Nancy was able to do a axel and the Coach let her know she was ready to participate in events.
She borrowed a skating dress and choose a song from A Chorus Line which Charlie and I will be watching in our Drama Class. Would you like to join us? Then her and her Coach worked to choregraph a routine she could do. Nancy realized if she could do her routine here she could do anything and she won a medal. I love how Nancy Kerrigan reminds us that just like her we are stronger than we think we are.
About:
In her first book for children, two-time Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan shares scenes from her childhood as she learns how to work hard, to believe in herself, and to land her first axel jump.
Nancy (age 8) and her family sacrifice time, money, and effort into her clear skill, talent, and passion for figure skating. She’s really good at it, but money is tight while she’s learning to land the hardest of figure skating jumps – the axel. And she must be able to do one in order to go to her first competition.
Her skates are too small, her feet hurt, but try after try, she gets up off the ice and takes another turn around the ice until she finally lands that first (wobbly) axel and then lands it solidly at her first competition.
Persistence, hard work, and the importance of believing in yourself are highlighted in this story from the earliest moments of Nancy Kerrigan’s figure skating career.
From the author’s note:
From the earliest moments in my skating career, I faced obstacle after obstacle. But I kept trying. Every time I fell, I got back up. Every time I failed, I tried again. Every time someone told me no, I kept working until I earned a yes…. Eventually, I learned that I had more strength within me than I ever realized. And here’s great news―you’re stronger than you think, too.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
