BONNIE BLAIR

Breitenbucher, for ten years a sportswriter for the Milwaukee Sentinel, records the amazing career of speed skater Bonnie Blair, who trained in Milwaukee. Blair was born into a family of speed skaters. The youngest of six children, she was coached by her siblings from an early age. At two, they taught her to skate—on single blades—and she was competing in Tiny Tots events a few years later. As each of her sisters and brothers left skating to pursue other interests and careers, Bonnie persisted. She graduated high school early so that she could train full time. At her first Olympics in Sarajevo (1984), Blair did not win any medals, but she saw what she needed to do to win. In Calgary (1988), she won a gold and a bronze. She won two golds in Albertville (1992) and two more in Lillehammer (1994) to make her the American woman with the most Olympic gold medals in history. She now plans to coach young skaters. Breitenbucher writes clearly about Blair's skating experiences. She also explains facts about the sport, like the difference between speed and figure skating. A rewarding read for kids interested in sports. (Nonfiction. 9-14)