SWIMMING TOWARD A DREAM

Syrian athlete Yusra Mardini overcame countless setbacks on her path to the Olympics.

A talented swimmer, young Yusra was trained by her father and by 14 had made her mark, representing Syria in international competitions. But her world changed when war broke out. With schools closing and bombs falling on Damascus, Yusra’s family made the difficult decision to send her and her sister to flee with relatives to Germany. The sisters embarked on a tumultuous voyage by air, sea, and land. Crossing from Turkey to Greece on an overcrowded boat with a failing engine, Yusra and her sister displayed great bravery as they leapt into rough waters, grabbed the boat’s ropes, and pulled everyone to safety. Despite yet more challenges ahead, Yusra eventually achieved her dream of swimming in the Olympics. Beautiful, textured watercolor and gouache illustrations add a compelling emotional dimension to Yusra’s incredible journey. Overall, this is a well-told story, but some readers may find several moments slightly confusing—notably, why war broke out and why countries closed their borders. Backmatter offers more context, as well as a timeline of Yusra’s journey and a map, though readers seeking more concrete information on the origins of the war should look elsewhere.

A testament to the power of pursuing one’s dreams despite forced displacement.