Thank You, Sock Fairies for Reviewing CHANGING THE GAME

Thank you to the Sock Fairies for reviewing Changing the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes for Read Your World Day 2025!

Changing the Game Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia Wenjen

The book is filled with inspiring stories highlighting the achievements of underrepresented Asian-Pacific female star athletes who have made contributions in the fields of martial arts and kayaking, swimming, soccer, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, snowboarding, running, hockey, golfing, ice skating, and tennis. Each of the seventeen brief sketches begins with a hook, a what-if question asking the reader to examine something in their own life and find connections with these female athletes.

Success did not come easy to many athletes who had to overcome poverty, lack of resources and opportunities, racism, crippling injuries, and gender equity. Many of their parents supported their children’s endeavors and were once accomplished athletes of their own. After years of competing, some of these accomplished female athletes returned to their fields of interest to coach and pursue higher education.

Determination, goal focus, perseverance, and being highly skilled in their field enabled these young women to overcome incredible odds to become successful.

The writing is concise and well-researched. The stories are intended for a middle-grade reader. At the end of the 32-page book, readers are provided with additional resources to pursue learning more about each athlete profiled in the book.

As a retired classroom teacher, I find this book a valuable resource for the social studies curriculum and Women’s History Month, highlighting these young women’s achievements. In addition, the book can be the impetus for classroom discussion on the impact racism plays on the acceptance of Asian-Pacific American female athletes in the field of sports. This book provides an excellent model for learning how to write a biography. It’s a quick read and perfect for the reluctant reader interested in sports, particularly female athletes.

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