Who Is Simone Biles?

Who Was . . . ? Series

by Stefanie Loh, Who H.Q., Joseph J. M. Qiu (Illustrator)

Learn about the record-breaking gymnastics career and inspiring life of Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles in the Who HQ Now series featuring newsmakers and trending topics.

In 2021, Simone Biles shocked the world when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympic Games after experiencing the twisties -- a scary feeling during which gymnasts lose control of their bodies while mid-air. Audiences had expected Simone to dominate these games. With seven Olympic medals, twenty-five World Championships medals, and four gymnastic skills named after her, she is considered to be the G.O.A.T. of women's gymnastics. That summer, however, Simone became more than just a legendary athlete. She became an advocate for mental health and protecting yourself even when the world is watching.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Biography, Childrens, Middle Grade

56 pages, Paperback

Published April 25, 2023

Reviews

[Kayla Yirdaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 40-ish page biography of Simone Biles. I was excited to add this to my second grade class library because I have students who were adopted and Biles was fostered, then adopted. It is also important for students to recognize that they can dream big while they are young, work hard, and accomplish (at least some) of their goals.

At the same time, I’ll be keeping this book at home because I do not think it’s age appropriate for my second graders to be reading about “inappropriate touching” independently. If I were reading this alongside them and could have a conversation, perhaps it would be more acceptable but this isn’t a great fit for my classroom kids who’ve already experienced their many personal traumas.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

She deserves a book written about her life!! CathyR

[JASARA HINES · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very concise, informative bio. I also appreciated that the way gymnastics is scored, was included so that people can understand how the scores reflect the athletic abilities of the competitors.

[LeeTravelGoddess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these little books! They are filled with nuggets that sometimes tend to slip by. Didn’t know she has the Presidential Medal of Freedom… that’s pretty amazing! On top of all the Olympic Medals she has won; well done SB!!!

[Kathie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and beautifully illustrated biography of one of the world's best gymnasts. Sensitively and age-appropriately deals with Simone Biles's rocky childhood (troubled mother, briefly in foster care, later adopted by grandparents) as well as the Larry Nasser sex abuse scandal that plagued the U.S. Gymnastics team. Nice section at the end, "How Olympics gymnastics is scored," as well as the biographical timeline adjacent to a historical timeline as a frame of reference, which is standard in this "Who Is...Who Was" series. Highly recommended for grades 3+.

[Librariann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I pulled this to put on the library's Olympics display, and then I read it because A) I honestly didn't really know that much about Simone Biles' life before watching this Olympics and Googling "Simone Biles Husband" and B) Why not?

Though only covering Biles' life and accomplishments through 2022, it's a fine overview and introduction to the GOAT. There's a reason why WhoHQ makes up a significant percentage of the juvenile biography collection - they're consistent, proven and cover a huge range of current and historical figures in an attractive and affordable format. Not gonna argue with that.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is a VERY simple biography about Simone Biles. I found that they explained some phrases that didn't need to be explained.....and then didn't explain other terms. It was weird. However, it is perfect for a young gymnastics fan.

And it is important to note that it handles the Nassar events in a very good way. "Simone was touched in harmful and unwanted ways" is good phrasing and opens the door for others who might have the same experiences.

[Goddess of Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...she learned to trust her instincts."

Simone Biles athletic career is a reminder that a lot of life lessons can be learned in sports. This quick read has countless life lessons about making hard choices, practicing, working when you'd rather play, trusting your instincts, trying again - even when you have cause to hesitate or fear, and so much more.

This is an impressive book about an incredible gymnast.

[Lady Washizu · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I, in my 30s with no kids of my own, enjoy the WHO HQ series, I did find it hard to believe that this particular book was very very short compared to most I've read, particularly those about people as opposed to those about historial events. I recently read the one about Chloe Kim, also a young athlete not that much younger than Simone Biles yet hers was lengthy. While one can argue that this is YA/it's basically an introduction on basics/her story IRL is still being written, guess what? So is Chloe's. It was very interesting however as I admittedly don't follow sports other than figure skating (hey WHO HQ! Where are the books on Michelle Kwan, Yuna Kim and Kristi Yamaguchi?!)

But otherwise this book was okay. I recommend it for kids and young adults.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

And Olympian, survivor of sexual abuse and survivor of the foster care system.
She accomplished a lot.
If she were a a white or an Asian girl, she wouldn’t have been recognized with a book. I’m disappointed in the publisher for not finding more interesting aspects of her life to include.

[Emily Strite · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was writing a very long wordy review (it was beautiful), but the app crashed and lost my review, so I’ll just summarize it at this: the book was good, Simone Biles is amazing, but the book was a little short.

[Manda Marigold · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book is a short biography of the life and career of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. This book felt similar to She Persisted: Simone Biles by Kekla Magoon. Nonetheless, the book is an enjoyable read that is perfect for gymnastics fans.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent biography for those middle grade, and even some younger grade, readers. This really explains the background behind the Tokyo Olympics and Simone's triumphant stand for mental health coupled with not giving up. Really great read - especially during an Olympic year.

[Catrina Cimaroli · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informational read about Simone Biles. An excellent book for young readers to learn about Simone and her life. She is a truly inspirational person and a great role model for young female athletes and others.

[Jj]

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the review copy!

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good short read about an Olympian athlete.

[Whitney George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great information for kids, but much smaller than the typical Who Was/Who Is series. Love Simone’s grit and how she always kept her positivity even through a mental health breakdown.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Who Is book and I was surprised at how comprehensive and detailed it was. I will definitely check out more of them.

[Mesa Cherrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book

[Penny Evenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to learn her background and what she has gone through!

[Alaya Berard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book taught me a lot about Simone Biles and how it can be challenging to do gymnastics even if you are the best. And you have to focus on mental health also.

[Kaylee Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of details

[Bryce Calloway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good book, if you like gymnastics I would recommend

[Amanda Gilles · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite sports to watch in the Olympics is gymnastics. As a dancer growing up I understand the drive for perfection and the stress of performance. I also enjoy following Simone-I think she is a great role model to gymnasts and to any young girl-athlete or not. She is a hard worker dedicated to her goals but she is also real and authentic about herself.

I found this book to be a very short read compared to others in the series but it was still good.

[Sofia Schaefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Simone Biles but I feel like the author didn’t understand gymnastics and the writing felt odd.