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Title details for Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton - Available

Soul Surfer

A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board

by Bethany Hamilton
Eleni Pappageorge
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

She lost her arm in a shark attack and nearly died, but she never lost her faith. Now a major motion picture, Soul Surfer is the moving story of Bethany Hamilton's triumphant return to competitive surfing and has continued to be a beacon of inspiration to all who hear it. They say Bethany Hamilton has saltwater in her veins. How else could one explain the passion that drives her to surf? Or that nothing—not even the loss of her arm—could come between her and the waves? That Halloween morning in Kauai, Hawaii, Bethany responded to the shark's stealth attack with the calm of a teenage girl with God on her side, resolutely pushing aside her pain and panic while being rescued and brought back to shore. "When can I surf again?" was the first thing Bethany asked after her emergency surgery, leaving no doubt that her spirit and determination were part of a greater story—a tale of personal empowerment and spiritual grit that shows the body is no more essential to surfing, perhaps even less so, than the soul.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 1, 2011

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781608148356
      • File size: 109339 KB
      • Duration: 03:47:47

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 960
    • Text Difficulty: 5-6

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Surfer Bethany Hamilton, of Kauai, revisits her first book--about her life before and after losing her left arm to a shark in 2003, when she was 13. Now, with the release of a docudrama on her life, she has added new material. Eleni Pappageorge's narration reflects the maturity Hamilton has gained since the first book. The most interesting passages are about Hamilton's family, their Christian perspective, and the bond formed by their shared love of surfing. The book would be an excellent choice for Christian families listening together--and, thankfully, there's nothing graphic about the shark attack. Interviews at the end provide an interesting look at the making of the movie. J.A.S. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      November 8, 2004
      Hamilton, a 14-year-old aspiring professional surfer from Kauai, Hawaii, made headlines last fall after she lost her arm in a shark attack. With the help of writer Berk and Bundschuh, a pastor whom the teen calls her "spiritual advisor," the teen offers an upbeat and candid—if somewhat meandering—chronicle of her life. She opens with the shark attack, then fills in details before and after this tragic incident, giving priority to the topics pinpointed in the book's subtitle. Her fervent faith surfaces often in her account: her church youth group figures prominently in her life, she prays before each surfing competition, she states that "Being tight with God is even more important to me than surfing" and, in discussing "God's plan" for her, states, "if I can help other people find hope in God, then that is worth losing my arm for." Hamilton offers copious background information about her close-knit family and her passion for surfing, as well as expressions of gratitude for the post-attack outpouring of support and donations from friends and strangers. Despite her narrative's sometimes overly zealous inspirational overtones, Hamilton's optimism, determination and resilience (she climbed back on her surfboard within a month of the attack) are undeniably impressive and uplifting and may well reassure teens dealing with distressing or life-altering events. Ages 12-up.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:960
  • Text Difficulty:5-6

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