First published 2009
Michael Phelps stares at a mountain of broccoli that could fill a pickup truck bed. His coach has just outlined the bizarre requirements for capturing eight gold medals. The training plan defies logic. He must spend three entire summer breaks sleeping. He needs to consume vegetables by the truckload. Most impossibly, he has to swim a distance equal to three trips along the Great Wall of China. Phelps begins this surreal journey toward Olympic glory, where the line between athletic dedication and complete absurdity blurs beyond recognition. Each day brings new challenges that test not just his physical limits but his grip on reality itself. The pool becomes his proving ground as he chases a dream that demands everything from his body and mind.
Genres: fiction, adventure, contemporary, comedy
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, surreal
32 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers