Atlas, Kevin. Get in the Game. New York: Worthy, 2020.
Summary
from author’s web site
Be inspired by the story of Kevin Atlas (formerly Laue), whose faith and perseverance helped him become an NCAA Division I basketball player, despite being born with only one arm.
Even before entering the world, Kevin Atlas was a fighter. He should have died in childbirth, as the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice, but he survived because his left arm was in the middle of it, allowing blood to flow to his brain. But since circulation was cut off in that arm, he was born with his left arm ending just below his elbow.
GET IN THE GAME is Kevin story of transformation: Moving from anger to joy. From embarrassment to confidence. From the sidelines and wishing his life was different to getting in the game and showing who he is. Kevin’s arduous journey to earning a scholarship to Manhattan College in New York City and becoming the first NCAA Division I basketball player missing a limb has given him keen insights to help anyone who feels trapped and defeated by less-than-perfect circumstances, whether physical, mental, or environmental.
Kevin doesn’t encourage readers to simply accept and live with their challenges, hurts, and losses. He spurs them on to believe any weakness can, in reality, become the one thing that propels them to achieve their greatest potential. As Kevin has learned throughout his life, you cant win if you dont get in the game!
My Review
Kevin Atlas appears to be an excellent role model for those with disabilities. He learned how to overcome his disability (having only one hand) and become the first player missing a limb to play Division I basketball. Kevin Atlas has become a motivational speaker and Get in the Game is one of his ways to get his story out to those who need to hear it. The book is motivational and self-help in nature with bits of his life story included throughout. Each chapter ends with reflection questions to guide the reader to apply what Kevin has learned to his or her own life.
While Worthy books bills itself as a publisher of Christian authors, God and reliance on Him only receives passing mention in Get in the Game. As a Christian school librarian, I was really hoping that reliance on God in difficult times was going to play a bigger role in the story.
There is no problem with adding Get in the Game to a K-12 Christian school library – I was just hoping for more of a biography that would fit the educational goals of our school.
I received a complimentary copy of Get in the Game. This is my honest review.
Get in the Game: Nothing Missing: You Have Everything Needed to Succeed
Library Lady's Kid Lit 