Book overview
The book shares what it is like to be a child and a teenager with autism. It has a strong antibullying message and stresses kindness and acceptance of people who are different than you. It is a true story about an orphan with disabilities who overcomes poverty, starvation, health issues, discrimination, and heartbreaking bullying incidents to compete in the Special Olympics. With the support of her mother, she learns that she can accomplish anything if she is willing to work hard and never give up.
Kelsey spent her entire life wanting to swim in the Special Olympics. At first, that dream seemed impossible. She was found alone, sick, and starving in a Russian orphanage when she was eleven months old. She was a very sick child who had autism, intellectual disabilities, and Rubenstein-Taybi Syndrome (a rare genetic disorder). The doctors did not know if she would ever walk or talk. Gradually, Kelsey became healthier and stronger. She joined a swim team and became a competitive swimmer. Along the way, Kelsey encountered numerous barriers. After ten years of being denied the opportunity to participate, Kelsey finally competed in the state Special Olympics Games. It didn't matter to her that she was the smallest kid competing and she did not know much about track and field (because she was still denied the opportunity to compete in swimming events). All that mattered to her was she finally had the opportunity to participate with the other athletes. Winning is not always about coming in first. Sometimes it is proving that you can stay in the game despite having all odds stacked against you.
