Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board by Bethany Hamilton


Bethany Hamilton was born into a family of avid surfers. She has felt a unique and passionate love for the sport of surfing ever since she first got on board when she was a toddler. Bethany had always dreamed of becoming a professional surfer since she first started competing when she was only seven years old. She had everything going for her; wonderful friends, a great sponsor, and a loving and supportive family behind her. Then one day, something tragic happened.

It was Halloween morning in 2003. Bethany was surfing with her best friend Alana and the waves weren't very big. As Bethany lay on her board, soaking up the beautiful Hawaiian sun, she let her arm dangle in the water. All of a sudden she felt a tug and before she knew it, the water around her was red and a shark had her arm. Bethany and the people close to her were afraid that her surfing career was over.

Soul Surfer is an autobiography about Bethany Hamilton. In the book, you get to read about Bethany's life before, during, and after her tragic attack. It is a story of bravery, faith, and love that a thirteen-year- old girl experienced when her life was changed forever. I think Bethany told her story extremely well in this book, and it really made me feel close to her. Bethany writes about her true love for surfing and he struggle to become the best she could be. Soul Surfer is a book that will catch your attention from the very first page. It makes you realize that you should never give up. Bethany is now one of the top surfers competing, and she only has one arm. She still has her friends, sponsor, and of course her family and she has let nothing stop her.

I think that Soul Surfer is a truly wonderful and exciting story, and I would recommend it to any of my friends. Although this book is a good choice for anybody, I think that girls about 12-16 would enjoy Soul Surfer the most. Bethany's story has really helped many people open their eyes and see what you can accomplish when you try hard. I think this is an excellent book and if you want to read a book that is inspiring but not sappy, Soul Surfer could just be the book for you.