Saturday, September 4, 2021

Fact Friday: Zion Unmatched by Zion Clark and James S. Hirsch (Again a day late!)

Zion Unmatched by Zion Clark and James S. Hirsch. 32 p. Candlewick Press, August, 2021. 9781536224184. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Saturday! I'm stumbling out of the gate here with my posts this first week of school. I have managed to post to the learning platform at school and our public library's FB page, but not here! Apologies. We had quite the first day back at school on Thursday thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Ida.  As usual, Closter students rose to the occasion with good humor and energy, making my Fact Friday choice quite fitting. 

Fact Friday features Zion Unmatched by Zion Clark and James S. Hirsch. Students in sixth through eighth grades may remember viewing a video about elite athlete, Zion Clark during advisory last spring. Mr. Clark was born without legs and was quickly abandoned by his birth mother. He grew up in the foster care system, where he experienced abuse and neglect. Nevertheless, he taught himself to walk by using his hands and strove to do his best in school. He discovered wrestling in high school and also became a champion wheelchair racer and hand-cycler. Today, he's a motivational speaker and entrepreneur as well. This photo-essay/memoir is the first of a planned trilogy.

The full-color, slightly over-sized photos of Mr. Clark are striking. His energy and determination are evident in each. There are inspirational quotes sprinkled throughout, but unnecessary because the man is the inspiration. The photo-essay is a nice introduction to Mr. Clark. I am hoping that future volumes contain more detail about his life and what he did to overcome his challenges and thrive. 

Zion Unmatched will have wide appeal and is a recommended addition to any school, classroom or public library. 

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