Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles

Who Did It First?

by Michelle Meadows, Ebony Glenn (Illustrator)

Before she was a record-breaking gymnast competing on the world stage, Simone Biles spent time in foster care as a young child. When she was six years old, Simone's family took shape in a different way. Her grandparents Ron and Nellie Biles adopted Simone and her sister Adria. Ron and Nellie became their parents. Simone was also introduced to gymnastics that same year, launching a lifelong passion fueled by remarkable talent, sacrifice, and the undying support of her family. From her athletic early childhood to the height of her success as an Olympic champion, this is the story of the world's greatest gymnast.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Sports, Nonfiction, Childrens, African American, Family

Hardcover

First published December 29, 2020

About the author

Michelle Meadows is the author of many acclaimed books for children, including MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR: One Girl Can Make a Difference, MAXIE WIZ AND HER DRAGON, HOW TO LOVE A PONY, FLYING HIGH: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles and BRAVE BALLERINA: The Story of Janet Collins. Michelle also contributed research and writing to BLACK BALLERINAS: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland. Michelle graduated from Syracuse University with a dual degree in journalism and literature. She is represented by literary agent Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio. Michelle grew up in Washington D.C. and now lives near the beach in Delaware with her husband.

Website: www.michellemeadows.com

Reviews

[Brandie Bridges-Sells · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my children and they loved it! Especially my daughter because she just started gymnastics class. She loves Simone Biles and she even said one day she wants to be like her but even better. This book was awesome because it touched a little of Simone’s childhood and progressed as she got older, and then soon enough made it to the Olympics.

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason this is not a five is I wanted more. I guess I need to read a full length biography of her now. With that said, this is a great early introduction to Simone Biles. Any kid who enjoys gymnastics would want to read. The illustrations are great and the afterwards about some key points in Biles' life are given. The part that makes this book practically perfect is that while it is a telling of her actual life, it reads as a story of a young girl finding her place, finding what makes her happy. This allows the story to be relatable to all.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was cute, but very basic. I know it's geared towards young children, but I felt like the verses sometimes sacrificed clarity for rhyme. Her brother was shown to be separated from Simone and her sister when the two girls were adopted together, but then immediately after her brother was mentioned as taking her to the gym for the first time--very confusing until I read the additional details at the end of the book. Still, I think it's a book that's worth a look for young kids and gymnastics fans.

[Yevin Goonatilake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This children's book is a work of literature that details the life of the world-famous gymnast Simone Biles. Flying High shows how Simone Biles began as a poor foster child with a love for acrobatics, and it describes the process of how she developed to become one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. This book tries to convey to its readers that they should never give up. Since this book is written by someone other than the main character and describes the life of Simone Biles, the primary genre of this book is biography. Children could learn from this book never to give up on their hopes and dreams. They could also learn the valuable lesson that hard work always prevails over doubt. This book was a WOW book for me because of the important messages it conveys, the author's style of writing, and the fragments of poetry included in the book.

The author incorporated many literary devices into this children's book. Michelle Meadows made her book poetic by using rhyme throughout the book. She also used alliteration and repetition many times in order to enhance the story. The author avoided bias by writing true-to-life characters who are essential to the story, using positive portrayals of the characters, and creating a thoughtful, detailed understanding of Simone Biles and her family.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles is a children's picture book written by Michelle Meadows and illustrated by Ebony Glenn. It centers on gymnast Simone Biles who enchanted the world during 2016 Summer Olympics.

Simone Arianne Biles is an American artistic gymnast. With a combined total of 30 Olympic and World Championship medals, Biles is the most decorated American gymnast and the world's third most decorated gymnast (to date).

Meadows's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, informative, and lyrical. Employing rhyming text, Meadows sketches Biles's experiences with foster care and adoption, her entry into gymnastics, and continued resilience that carried her to the Olympic Games. Backmatter offers further biographical details, fun facts, and a select bibliography for further research. Glenn's art, rendered digitally, focuses on both motion and emotion.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It relays the early struggles, diligent training, and eventual successes of record-breaking Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. Simone is always in motion from toddlerhood when she discovers gymnastics. There is a simple beauty in showing how Biles' rise to Olympic gold medalist was not smooth.

All in all, Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles is a soaring biography of Simon Biles – most decorated American gymnast.

[Emily Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flying High The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles written by Michelle Meadows and illustrated by Ebony Glenn is all about Simone Biles’ journey through life and gymnastics. The story begins with Simone growing up with three other siblings, Adria, Ashley, and Tevin. They had to go to foster care because there was not proper care given to the kids. After some time, their biological grandfather, Ron, adopted Simone and Adria. Ron’s older sister took care of Ashley and Tevin. The story continues when Simone goes to her first gymnastics class, and the coach realizes she is a natural and enrolls Simone right away for more classes. Simone’s family got a puppy along the way, which she was very close to. Simone worked hard in the gym, but she missed the national team spot by only one spot. She pushed herself back up, and she even started homeschool instead of going to high school in order to work harder in the gym. Simone is finally on the Olympics Team USA. At the end of the book, the author includes more facts about Simone Biles. Some of the facts included are: Simone won four gold medals, and she was the first female to win three World all-around titles consecutively. In addition, a picture of her family is included at the end of the book, and a picture of Simone winning a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics.

The illustrations throughout the book are colorful, and they show what the text says. The illustrations do not necessarily add any new information to the story, but they help the readers to visual the flips and tumble moves that Simone perfected. The background throughout the book is white, allowing the readers to focus on the various images throughout the story and the text. The front cover is of Simone Biles in her USA Olympic uniform with a crowd of people behind her cheering and watching. This foreshadows the end of the book when Simone finally reaches her goals of being a part of the best team in the world. The back cover is of Simone Biles when she was younger, showing how much dedication and time went into her talents. Overall, I would highly recommend this biography book for students ages 4-8, and this book can be used in the classroom when studying various influential people in sport’s history and studying biographies in general.

[Kaylee Hodnefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts off by talking about Simone's childhood and how she and her three siblings' home life was not that great and they ended up going into foster care. Then Simone's grandpa takes her and her siblings on a trip. During this trip, it talks about how she starts climbing, flipping, and walking on her tippy toes. Later she and her siblings are separated. She and he sister stay together and the family goes down to the courthouse to adopt them. It then talks about how someone starts gymnastics and really enjoys it and that she is going through levels really fast. It then goes on to talk about how she went to a competition to be on the national team but was one spot off. She gives up on her dreams but then comes back to it with the love and support of her family. She goes back to the gym and works really hard. With her determination and hard work, she makes it onto the USA Olympic gymnastics team. Her family is there supporting her and she gets a medal.

I think this book could work for grades first through fifth. I think this grade range would work with this book because it is explaining a very well-known athlete's life story. It explains Simone Biles's life story and how she came to be a well-known gymnast. It also goes shows students who read it that even if you go through hard times in your life you are still able to accomplish things if you put your mind to it. Also, it shows the lesson of if you do not succeed the first time, keep on trying because you never know what you will accomplish.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked how it took the story of Simone Biles but made it smaller but to the point for younger readers for them to get an idea about her life. I also like this book because it is a way for some students to connect to it because maybe they had a rough home life and had to go into foster care. They would be able to relate to Simone and see that she got through it and accomplished big things which helps to show them that they could do that too.

[Cecelia Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flying High by Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Ebony Glenn
This book tells the story of Simone Biles and her journey to the 2016 Olympics. The book starts off by explaining Simone’s childhood and how she and her siblings lived in foster care. Eventually she and her siblings are adopted in 2003 and around the same time she starts gymnastics. We see Simone grow both in her sport and into a young woman. The road to Rio was not easy for her as the reader comes to learn. Simone did not make the national team like she had hoped the first time. She was only one place away but this defeat only left her hungry for a win. Simone trained more and set her goals higher, and she eventually qualified for the national team. She did not stop here, Simone soon became one of the final five on the United States Olympic team. Her hard work and determination paid off in Rio as she came home with four gold medals around her neck. The illustrations throughout this book were very helpful in explaining her journey. The artwork was not very realistic, which makes it easier for a younger reader to keep engaged. The drawings while not as complex still contributed to the overall story and added great color to the book. The illustrations were soft and not too harsh on the eyes for children to really get any details from, but it still brought the story to life. I would use this book with a 1st grade or even second grade class. This story is great for inspiring kids to work hard and achieve their dreams. As an educator you can use this book to inspire your students and push them to reach their goals even when they fail along the way. I really enjoyed this book and was left feeling empowered after reading it. I would have loved to read a book like this growing up so I could see even gold medalist fail at times and are not born with incredible talent. They work for what they accomplish and failing is part of that journey.

[Stephanie Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book "Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles" by Michelle Meadows, Simone is one of four children. Unfortunately, her mother could not take care of her and her siblings. She lived in a foster home. However, her siblings got split up. One day, when it was raining, her brother suggested going to the gymnastics gym. As a result, with time, she fell in love with the sport and kept getting better. She made it to the national team tryouts, but she did not make the team. She was discouraged. However, she got back up, trained harder, and gave up school for homeschooling. She became the best and won a gold medal at the Olympics. I liked how the author explained and summarized the life of Simone Biles in a fun and enthusiastic way for children to learn and aspire from her story. Additionally, I enjoyed the illustrations of the book because the reader can feel the emotion as portrayed by each character in a sad or happy way through the use of creativity and color. Furthermore, the genre is a biography. The themes of the book are resilience, dedication, and passion. Therefore, anyone who reads this book, regardless of age, can learn that dreams come true and that in life, you might fail, but getting back up will determine who you will become. As a result, this book was a WOW book for me because the book included literary analysis, which builds connections and complex interpretations of the text. There are numerous examples of imagery. For instance, "grandpa arrives," "tip, top trampoline jumping towards the sky," "the rain coming down, drip, drip," "high bars, low bars, leap across the beam," and "a puppy to love with a big wet nose." Additionally, the book contained simile. For instance, "shooting off the vault like a rocket blast." Finally, I would consider this book an example of an anti-bias book because the author made a well-researched biography and made positive portrayals of Simone Biles through her victories and obstacles.

[Janet Robles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flying High by Michelle Meadows is a biography story based on The Story of Gymnastic Champion Simone Biles before she became an international gymnast. It goes on to discuss her childhood and how gymnastics was introduced to her the same year she and her sister were adopted by their grandparents. Simone Biles spent time as a child in foster care. She had a difficult life with many ups and downs, but she never let that get in the way of her spirit. She grew into a happy and fulfilled person who was successful in her chosen field. While reading the story, I was amused by her story and the changes she had to make in her personal life to pursue her career, such as being homeschooled. The author did an excellent job of keeping the story engaging without making it sound like a documentary. Using simple and direct writing styles. The illustrations in this story were also fantastic, with bright colors and strong emotions conveyed through the images. Students can use this book to learn more about Simone and her life before and after becoming a gymnast. There are some pages on the back of this book that provide more information about her life. Students can also learn that even successful people have struggled and face their own challenges. This book conveys a powerful message about dedication that many children can learn from. For me, this is a WOW book because it depicts the vulnerable side of a well-known Olympic gymnast. It is an inspiring and motivating story, especially for young children with high hopes and dreams. This book is free of anti-biases because it discusses a real person's life and perspective as she searches for a place where she belongs during her difficult childhood times.

[Tylah Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles" by Michelle Meadows is a poetic biography in picture book format aimed at young readers. This captivating book traces Simone Biles' remarkable trajectory, starting from her challenging upbringing in foster care, her subsequent adoption by her grandparents, her discovery of a lifelong passion for gymnastics, and culminating in her extraordinary achievements as one of the most accomplished Olympic gymnasts in history. I would rate Flying High with four stars. Meadows' rhyming verse offers a captivating and suitable opening to Biles' extraordinary narrative of determination and accomplishing one's aspirations despite significant obstacles. The piece realistically addresses the hardships that Biles encountered, such as the separation from her siblings while in foster care. However, it maintains an optimistic tone that centers around her unwavering resolve and the support she received from her family. Ebony Glenn's pictures skillfully depict Simone's agility, vitality, and emotional expressions, enabling young readers to empathize with her experiences. The book effectively presents Biles' accomplishments in a way that is easy to understand and motivating for young readers. Although the rhyming narrative may occasionally seem simplistic for a story as complex as this, the book still offers a significant tribute to Biles' groundbreaking achievements and serves as a compelling demonstration of her tenacity. Flying High is a valuable addition to the biography department that is likely to make a lasting impact on young readers, particularly those who aspire to be gymnasts. A captivating and skillfully crafted picture book that showcases the remarkable journey of a legendary athlete.

[Mia Mulig · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I have only read a few biography books, this book was one of the best ones I have read. This book is a picture book biography of Simone Biles. It takes the reader through her bumpy, yet successful life as a gymnast. Simone was put into the foster care system with her sister, where she would seek out every opportunity to play on every playground or backyard. At six years old, Simone and her sister were adopted by her grandparents. This was also where Simone started out in gymnastics. From that point her extraordinary talent, sacrifice, and encouragement from her family fueled her journey of becoming the greatest gymnast. This is such an inspiring story that can influence many student’s lives and aid in their mindset on life. Additionally, the illustrations make the story come to life. Some pages are double-spread with cartoon, whimsical characters. All the pictures had a smooth, airbrush look to them which I enjoyed because they aren’t bold. One of my favorite moments in the book is a double-spread page that pictures Simone doing multiple flips or events such as bars. The page also describes her gaining confidence and uses a smilie to describe her participating in these events. Overall, this can be a great read-aloud that can motivate students. I would recommend this to grades Kindergarten to 2nd grade.

[Annah Neumire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the life of Simone Biles, a gold medalist in gymnastics for the USA. She has been an inspiration to so many people because of her perseverance throughout her life. As a child, she was split from her four siblings and was adopted by a family who wanted to give her everything she didn't have before. She knew she wanted to flip and flop; so gymnastics it was. After years and years of practice, she falls short of the national team spot. That did not stop her though. She decided to homeschool and practice harder than ever; eventually making it to the national team and going on to win medals at the Olympics.

The biography has the power to inspire and motivate many children who may not believe they can reach their dreams. At times, dreams can seem so unattainable. After listening to Simone Bile's story, dreams just became that much closer to reaching. The illustrations do a great job showing each part of Simone's life. They capture the way she was feeling throughout it all.

I thought the author made a great choice by completing this book using poetry. There is something about poetry that makes everything have meaning. It is deep. It is powerful. That is exactly what this book is.

[Abigail Veillon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before Simone Biles became an Olympic gold medalist, she was just a little girl in a broken home. In this picture book biography, we watch Simone overcome one obstacle after another as her family dynamic continues to shift. She finds solace in gymnastics and tumbles everywhere she goes. With great persistence and determination, she is able to reach her goal and compete at the Olympic level. This story is written in rhythmic prose which I feel is necessary to give it a more childlike feel. Since heavy topics are mentioned, like Simone being separated from her siblings, the rhyme has a way of softening the harsh realities that she endured. The illustrations style is not my favorite, but I do think the colors and soft lines that were used give the book a more playful feel which is perfect for younger audiences. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but it would probably be more of a 3.5 for me.

[Taylor Oddo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book “ Flying High” talks about who she was as a little girl and how she began the love for gymnastics. She grow up in a foster care system with her sister. She had so much energy and loved playing outside. She eventually got adopted by her grandparents and then by a couple. They began putting her in gymnastic classes, where she began her journey to the top. It shows children that no matter where you come from in a loving home or in a foster care home that you can be anything you want to be in life if you are willing to work hard. The illustrator did a really great job at showing all of the gymnastics tricks, from the balance beam, to the flips, and the turns. I really enjoyed every bit of her story. Her story is an inspiration to many.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhyming text meant to tell Simone's story to young readers.

Some of the illustrations are so very Simone and others I think look less like her.

Interesting to include the child neglect, foster care, and sibling split in the book for young ones.

The fact that she had 2 older brothers with her adopted parents (her bio grandfather and his wife) isn't clear until the back matter. We see her brothers getting led away in the family split, then a brother suggests the field trip to a gym; it's a little confusing.

Also not in love with the idea that choosing homeschool is giving something up.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simone Biles is an inspiring person with a compelling story. So I wanted to love this book and was excited when it arrived through inter-library loan. I like the concept, but finished the book feeling “meh”. My child kept saying “What?” throughout the book (as in “What happened there?”), and there were times when i thought i had skipped a page because of the lack of flow. I was distracted by inconsistencies in the illustrations of the characters from page to page. I wish this book had gone through a few more rounds of edits.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aimed pretty young (younger than I expected). There aren't a lot of specifics about gymnastics; it's talking about her journey to the 2016 Olympic team more broadly, with more detailed focus on her family.

My biggest issue was with the illustrations. It didn't always really look like Simone, and the other members of the 2016 Olympic team were figure-out-able but not really recognizable either. (Simone's coach and Marta Karolyi looked more right more consistently.)

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

“With fire inside that sets her apart, Simone captures her dream and America’s heart.”

This book gives a reader just a glimpse into the life of gymnast, Simone Biles, from her early childhood through the obstacles she encountered to her success in the olympics.

Includes an author’s note in the back with additional information as well as a bibliography for additional reading. This should be popular with my students.

[Shatila Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction of Simone Biles. It is age appropriate for K-2 students as a read aloud. Some second graders may actually attempt to read this book independently. I love how this nonfiction book also incorporated poetry. The background knowledge of adoption was unclear. Either more details could have been added or should not have been included. My students loved the illustrations in this book, which led me showing them a clip of Simone Biles in at a competition.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Published in 2020, this biography is already dated, since Simone Biles has had so many more accomplishment since then. Nevertheless, the rhyming and lyrical narrative and colorful, Adobe Photoshopartwork combine to create a great introduction to this amazing athlete.

I received this book for free at the National Book Festival in Washington DC.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Simone Biles and was so excited to introduce her to my 7-year old daughter but I didn’t realize how basic this biography is about her. It is definitely written for young children (3-6 years old) and provides a very brief overview of how she started gymnastics. The rhyming was good and the illustrations were OK, nothing memorable.

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked learning more about Simone Biles and her life. I think the illustrations were awesome, especially the ones that depicted Biles doing flips and other gymnastic moves. I'm torn on the text. I think that the rhyming makes the book seem very flippant and I can't decide if I like that or want a more serious tone. That being said, still an excellent book!

[Dina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A biography written for younger students! There is such a need for books like this one, and it has the added bonus of amazing illustrations, being written like a story book and excellent back matter including a selected sources, pictures and fast facts. Two thumbs up! I look forward to sharing this story with my students!

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a rhyming biography book written for younger ages. The illustrations are colorful and engaging. The information is helpful for simple school reports. This book will inspire children to go for their goals and dreams. Be sure to read the author's note at the end for additional information. Highly recommended for Grades K-2.

[Reagan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows the life of Simone Biles, olympic gold medalist gymnast who has not always had the easiest life. Kids will enjoy hearing how Simone made it to be an olympian. Through hard work, determination and blood, sweat and tears, you can do anything you put your mind to. I would love to use this book in my future classroom!

[Annamarie Carlson (she, her)]

Follow the childhood and gymnastic success of the amazing Simone Biles, from her time in foster care to her adoption by her grandparents and her perseverance as a gymnastics champion. By the same author-illustrator duo as Brave Ballerina--I'm looking forward to more from these two!

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gymnastic fans will love this story of Simone Biles told in verse. The endnotes give readers more information and are a great starting point for further research into one of the greatest gymnasts of all time.

[Laura Rooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about never giving up on you dreams and it doesn't matter where you come from if you work hard and give it al you have then you can achieve any goals you put your mind to. Loved the illustrations and how they showed her progressions in skills along with highlighting her emotions.

[Sarah Heilig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it is a great book to read if you are looking for a book that tells basic information on simone biles. I thought it was going to be a chapter book but it is a picture book. I liked the book but I didn't love it. Would recommend if you like gymnastics picture books