I know nothing about BMX bike-riding, so I wasn’t sure if this book would hold my interest. I’m happy to report that Karen Avivi has created a thoroughly enjoyable (and educational) story. Through Josie’s eyes, we see how much courage it takes for female BMX trick riders in a sport that typically thinks of females as “less-thans”.

All the reactions felt true: the jealousy of her boyfriend, whom she can out-trick, as well as other males who rankle at females who aren’t scared to ride a 50-foot drop half-pipe; Josie’s parents and older “real-sport” (football and baseball) brother frustratingly thinking that BMX riding is just something Josie needs to “get out of her system”, not something she’s as passionate about as a guy would be; the excitment of other girls who want to learn to ride.

It’s so nice to have a non-whiny, non-shallow female lead who understands that hard work is necessary for succes! Josie’s awesome personality,  bravery, and stick-to-it-iveness simply begs you to root for her the whole way through, and I was proud to see the positive impact she and her friends and teammates (both genders) made in getting girls excited about the sport. Ms Avivi does an outstanding job of taking intricate tricks and describing them so that readers like me who, know nothing about the sport, can picture what the rider is doing, greatly enhancing the enjoyment of Josie’s journey.

Because it’s so well-written, and in my opinion combines the best of what constitutes plot-driven and character-driven stories, I think any gender and any age would enjoy this book. Definitely going on my “Recommended” list!