Work with What You Got

February 1, 2023
A professional athlete recounts growing up in the foster care system. Due to caudal regression syndrome, Clark was born without legs. Later, he was also diagnosed with ADHD. But, he writes, being Black and disabled weren't his greatest obstacles. In fact, he doesn't consider himself disabled, just "built lower to the ground" as he nimbly walks on his hands. Relinquished at birth by his incarcerated mother, Clark entered the foster care system in Ohio. In straightforward language, Clark and co-author Hirsch critique the numerous challenges of life in foster care, such as instability and foster parents' lack of training in caring for disabled children. The book reveals that children in foster care are frequently abused--as Clark himself was--and susceptible to poverty and mental illness. Clark, who joined a gang and was arrested for assault at 14, avoided further negative outcomes thanks in part to caring adults, including some foster parents, coaches, and his adoptive mother, Kimberlli Hawkins. She saw Clark play trumpet in the high school band, took him in as her foster son, and reawakened his faith in God. Though he excelled at wrestling and wheelchair racing, among other sports, in high school and beyond, Clark feels his most important contribution is being a role model, especially to kids. Though it may feel familiar, his motivational advice is refreshingly down-to-earth, acknowledging many ways to make a difference and encouraging kids to face tough situations one step at a time. Honest and eye-opening. (photo credits) (Memoir. 14-18)

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February 27, 2023
Professional athlete Zion Clark (b. 1997) chronicles his childhood navigating the Stark County, Ohio, foster care system in this motivational memoir. Clark—who was born without legs due to caudal regression syndrome—entered foster care after being surrendered at birth by his mother. Via concise, honest text, Clark recounts how he was “fortunate to have two early foster homes... that were so good” but maintains that constant uprooting and a lack of consistent adult figures led him join a gang, where, he writes, he found the closest thing to family he ever had. After years of being labeled a “problem child” (“That’s what happens when you grow up in a violent, unstable world,” he asserts), he was adopted by Black foster parent Kimberlli Hawkins, whose support and religious teachings helped him develop a strong sense of belief in himself. Clark’s forthright recollections of wrestling with the “dual stigma of being disabled and being Black,” and how overcoming his adversities prompted him to support others’ endeavors to face their own, presents an illuminating look at the trials of one person maneuvering the foster care system, and details his views that community support and faith are the key to navigating life. Ages 14–up.

Starred review from March 1, 2023
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Renowned athlete and motivational speaker Clark describes the harrowing experiences he endured growing up as a Black boy in Ohio's foster-care system. For Clark, people constantly refused to see him for anything other than his intersectional identity. Having been born without legs from a condition called caudal regression syndrome, many assumed he could not live a normal life. In order to overcome his anger towards abusive adults, naysayers, and racists, Clark found solace through reading, music, and wrestling. These outlets, among others, allowed him to achieve an impressive variety of accomplishments. There are a handful of accountable adults in Clark's life who he acknowledges saved him from a life of crime. In this book, Clark shares his expansive knowledge of many flaws that exist within the foster-care system, providing stories from close friends and family who have also suffered from the system's negligence. Readers will be in awe of the author's amazing physical and mental strength to pursue all of his dreams. This memoir will appeal to teenagers who need to hear positive affirmations on never giving up. Clark is living proof that if you put in the work, you never know where the world may take you.

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March 29, 2024

Gr 8-10-Introduced first in the picture book biography Zion Unmatched, Clark is an athlete with caudal regression syndrome. Here, he writes his own story that not only summarizes his titular life motto, but is a calling to the teens he's writing for about being the best they can be. This inspiration is interwoven into his story, which included being raised in foster care where neglect and abuse took a toll before connecting with several loving families and eventually being adopted as a teen by a spirited woman. Clark struggled but found consolation in wrestling, with a coach who believed in him, and in books that nourished his mind. Using a chronological format that explains his circumstances and how his mindset worked for and against him, Clark's book operates like a roadmap for those needing guidance from someone who understands what it was like to be a rebellious teen. Bolded at times for emphasis, the words flow easily. It's a story that needs to be told and will find an eager audience with readers of titles such as George M. Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue and Ariel Henley's A Face for Picasso-books of perseverance over adversity, and ultimately, being who you are even when it's not the norm. VERDICT Oozing confidence, Clark's sports memoir imparts advice to inspire a new generation.-Alicia Abdul

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