cover image Tara Lipinski: Triumph on Ice

Tara Lipinski: Triumph on Ice

Tara Lipinski. Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers, $15.95 (128pp) ISBN 978-0-553-09775-7

With all the gusto of a triple loop-triple loop combination, Lipinski relates her whirlwind ascent to become the U.S. and World figure-skating champion at the tender age of 14. Her account of her brief but so far spectacular career begins with early (at two years old) fantasies of winning an Olympic medal and her love of roller skating (begun at three). An introduction to ice skating at age six led Lipinski and her parents on an expensive, globe-trotting quest for excellence in competition. Lipinski shares her training regimen and several anecdotes about her life off the ice, which involves visiting with friends, shopping and writing to her pen pal Lacey Chabert of TV's Party of Five. Though this volume exudes an almost relentlessly positive ""gee-whiz"" tone, moments of true drama and emotion occasionally break through, as when Lipinski walks readers through her 1997 World win and laments missing her father while she lives and trains in another city. Fans will glean much information as well as a behind-the-scenes look at world-class competition, the relationship between athlete and coach, and the dedication required to achieve a goal. Sixteen pages of color photos, a glossary of skating terms, a guide to scoring and an introduction by skating champion Todd Eldredge round out this perky self-portrait. Ages 8-12. (Nov.)