Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith Hardcover – Bargain Price, November 27, 2012

As an older woman, Gabrielle Douglas story inspires and deeply touches me. I remember watching her with such rapt attention and admiration during the summer Olympics and reminiscing how nearly 20 years earlier, I watched Dominique Dawes with the same feelings. Amazing! Nearly two years later, I tune in to watch the Lifetime biopic and my eyes start to tear up as before the opening. Teary-eyed and proud, I made it through the biopic. And now, with her memoir, I am awarded the opportunity to dive deeper into her story. Fortunately, I read her memoir on my Kindle so my tears did not cause any damage. This is an truly inspirational story. It saddens me that young minority women have to endure any form of racism but as I think about it the Civil Rights Movement occurred in 1960s after 200 years of slavery and a systemized form of oppression. A lot of prejudice and racial bias is still buried deep. Alas, what does not kill you makes you stronger. I am glad that Gabrielle is receiving all the accolades as it is well deserved. I hope her story continues to inspire minority girls to enroll in gymnastics and I hope they pay special attention on the backlash Gabby receives and how well she handles it.

My 10-year-old daughter loved this book and shared it with friends in her 4th grade class who all loved it too. Gabby talks about how her faith, friends and family helped her overcome the obstacles she faced on the way to achieving her Olympic dream. This is a wholesome, positive book and Gabby is a great role model for young girls. It's written in the first person, almost like a journal. For grade-schoolers becoming curious about the teenage phase, it's often hard to find books that are suitable for young readers. This one is terrific. For older readers with an interest in Gabby and gymnastics, this book will not disappoint. I read it so my daughter and I could talk about it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it - well-written and honest, it also conveys the excitement of competition through the eyes of a young, world-class athlete.

Are you a teen athlete or the parent supporting the dream of one? Gabby Douglas unlocks her story, and in doing so, she inspires the young athletes and their parents who follow a similar path. Giving the glory to God, Gabby is living proof that faith and family sustain when the physical body and mind fall short. When I read the end of chapter 18, my eyes filled with tears. Gabby knows my daughter's conflict! It isn't just me as a mom and my daughter as a Junior Olympic athlete (a diver, not a gymnast, but it all rings true, regardless of the sport). Even the best, most talented, and most successful like Gabby Douglas are torn between being a top-performing athlete and being a normal teenager. Her writing sings to the heart of a teen, phrased in a way that lets your mind imagine the exact words coming from a little personal text message from Gabby to you. She empowers her decisions with Biblical truth, and in doing so, she helps us believe that God's plan is perfect, no matter how the world may convince you otherwise. This is a must-read, and I can hardly wait until Christmas day, when my daughter can devour Gabby's inspiring words.

Gabrielle Douglas tells her story of Olympic success through the lens of faith, commitment, acceptance, and forgiveness. She takes us on her journey both as an Olympian and as a young girl reconciling the truths of her life. Gabrielle was raised by a strong, hard working single mom who taught her the values that carried her to Olympic gold. From the first time this young gymnast stepped on the mat, her coaches saw in her a fiery spark and a natural talent. Gabrielle and her mother took that raw talent and nurtured it, through great sacrifices from the entire family, in order to reach the top of her sport. Never afraid to succeed, the family even agreed to a two year separation so that Gabrielle could train with the coach that would ultimately help her reach her goal.Gabrielle tells her story of gymnastics greatness, but she also parallels it with the story of her family, of her faith in God and her religious journey, and her path to forgiving her absent father. She speaks from the heart, sharing childhood memories good and bad. Her personality really shines through in her writing, as does her work ethic and her love for her family. She counts her blessings and she is appreciative of them. Gabrielle Douglas is an amazing athlete and an inspiring young woman.

Gabby Douglas was recently named Associated Press's Female Athlete of the Year. In this novel, Douglas reveals her story of discovering gymnastics and eventually training for the Olympics. Aside from them, readers also get a look into her family life. As a single mother, Douglas's mother works hard to support her daughter's dream, financially and mentally. Also included is a brief look at Gabby's father, who has been absent for much of her life.This is an inspirational novel. Everyone saw Gabby's performance at the Olympics, but in this novel, readers get a glimpse of the real Gabby Douglas: an American teenager who happens to enjoy gymnastics. One thing that I enjoyed about this novel was that it sounds like a teenager wrote it. Normally, this would usually be a bad thing, but in this case, it's not. After all, Gabby Douglas is a teenager, and it made the novel much more personal.I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys the Olympics, gymnastics, or just loves a great story!