Finding the edge: my life on the ice

Reviewed by: Deirdre Dupree - Scarborough High School, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 11, 2018

Review

US National champion Figure Skater Karen Chen shares her story and the world of competitive figure skating. YA readers passionate about figure skating and fascinated by competitive skating will find this book informative. Chen’s themes of focus, determination, and perseverance are repeated through the many demands of the sport.

This upbeat informational narrative tells a linear story of Karen Chen’s introduction to skating, her family’s necessary contribution to her success and the eventual complete focus of her family and Karen’s life to achieve her competitive skating goals. The difficult aspects of her story are glossed over as they are conveyed without emotion or detail.

The book includes addendums covering Competitive Season timeline, Glossary of Skating terms, International Skating Union Technical rules, and a listing of Figure Skating Single Ladies Champions. The center of the book holds two dozen color photos of Karen and the Chen Family.

Middle School librarians looking to create a robust Figure Skating collection might consider this title.

Overall Book Score: good