At 17 years old, Gabby Douglas has achieved what many only dream about in winning the Gold Medal at the London 2012 Olympics for women's gymnastics in the all-around competition, and winning gold as part of the women's American team. With enormous talent and hard work she moved to the forefront of her sport and became the first African American to win the all-around competition.

However, her achievements haven't come without difficulty and sacrifice and in Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith she shares her journey to the Olympic dream and the people who helped make it possible. Her autobiography, coauthored with Michelle Burford, will inspire all those who like Gabby, have faith in God and themselves to make their dreams come true.

Grace, Gold and Glory also features 8 pages of color photographs and the double-sided dustjacket converts into a full-color poster of Gabby.

In the 2012 London Olympics, US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas stole hearts and flew high as the All-Around Gold Medal winner, as well as acting as a critical member of the US gold-medal-winning women gymnastics team. In this personal autobiography, Gabrielle tells her story of faith, perseverance, and determination, demonstrating you can reach your dreams if you let yourself soar.

Gabrielle Douglas is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she made history, becoming the first US gymnast to take home a team and an individual gold medal in the same Olympics. Gabrielle began her training at age six, and became the Virginia State Champion only two years later. When she was fourteen, she left her family in Virginia Beach to train with coach Liang Chow in Des Moines, Iowa. Under Chow's guidance, and with tremendous faith in God's plan for her, Gabrielle competed in the Olympic Trials and walked away with the only guaranteed spot on the team. Since her Olympic triumph, Gabrielle has used her platform to inspire millions with a powerful message: With hard work and persistence, any dream is possible. Visit her online at www.gabrielledouglas.com Michelle Burford is a Harvard-trained journalist in Manhattan and a founding editor of O, The Oprah Magazine. Though she has visited nearly three dozen countries on six continents and interviewed scores of folks along the way, she'd never once even attempted a cartwheel until the day she watched Gabby claim the Olympic gold medal. One month and two enormous bumps on the forehead later, Michelle teamed up with Gabby to bring you the story behind the story. To check out more of Michelle's creations, swing by www.michelleburford.com.

An effervescent first-person account of 2012 Olympic gold medalist Douglas's life from birth to the Olympics written in collaboration with Burford, this book will capture the attention of sports enthusiasts and Douglas's admirers. Gabrielle "Brie" emerges as an exuberant young woman with a sense of humor. Of her start in gymnastics, Brie suggests her mother was willing to enroll her and three siblings in class because her mother "needed a long nap." Her confidence, focus, and determination come through in every sentence. On occasion poetic descriptions obtrude ("glistening flakes fell from the heavens") on usually colloquial prose ("Lol"). Douglas mentions the lows—her family lived in their van for months when she was an infant—and bullying, but never dwells on them. The story gives readers a feel for the mind of a champion—quick, determined, hard-working to the max, with the ego to withstand unstinting self-evaluation and criticism, always in the service of achieving her next goal. Supported by her mother and siblings, and by her strong faith in God, she sees herself as capable of achieving greatness "because God has equipped me with all I need to succeed." Overall, the book delivers. Poster included. Ages 8-up. (Dec.) 2013 Reed Business Information

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