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A Matter of Heart

by Amy Fellner Dominy

Identity beyond the finish line

Regular price $16.48 USD
Regular price $27.47 USD Sale price $16.48 USD
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AlbakiReads Editorial

Identity beyond the finish line

Abby Lipman’s athletic future changes sharply after a fainting episode reveals a serious heart condition. With her Olympic-trial ambitions disrupted, the story turns to the question of identity: how much of who Abby is has been bound to swimming, and what remains when competition is no longer central? The premise also brings support systems and life-altering decisions into the picture, alongside the pressures of high-school sport. Swimming provides the setting for a broader coming-of-age conflict about redefining oneself when a defining pursuit is suddenly out of reach.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teen and young adult readers interested in high-school sports and competitive swimming.
  • Readers drawn to coming-of-age stories about identity, changing ambitions, and support systems.

Themes

Identity beyond achievementCompetitive sportHealth challengesSupport systemsLife-altering decisions

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"Will make your heart pound--anxiously, joyfully, triumphantly." --New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle

Readers will happily dive into this emotionally grounded, contemporary young adult novel about the sudden end of one girl's Olympic swimming dreams and the struggles she endures before realizing there are many things that express who we are.

Sixteen-year-old Abby Lipman is on track to win the state swim championships and qualify for the Olympic trials when a fainting incident at a swim meet leads to the diagnosis of a deadly heart condition. Now Abby is forced to discover who she is without the one thing that's defined her entire life.

"More than a sports novel, this book delves deep into issues of identity--how we identify ourselves separately from what we do well--and the importance of support systems while making life-altering decisions. Give this to fans of Catherine Gilbert Murdock's Dairy Queen series."--School Library Journal

"This engaging and fast-paced read expertly paints the world of high-school sports and the single-minded focus and commitment that some high-school athletes can have." --Booklist

"This is a solid look at an elite athlete who gets benched. . . . An enjoyable read even for couch potatoes." --Kirkus Reviews


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