The flip side

Shawn Johnson, 1992-

Book - 2016

An elite teenaged gymnast with Olympic dreams finds it hard to train when a irresistible guy comes along and threatens to throw her whole world off balance.

Saved in:
Subjects
Published
New York : Simon & Schuster BFYR [2016]
Language
English
Main Author
Shawn Johnson, 1992- (author)
Other Authors
A. L. Sonnichsen (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
308 pages ; 22 cm
Audience
610L
ISBN
9781481460217
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

For one girl, life is a balancing act, literally. By day she's Charlotte Ryland, bespectacled normal kid, struggling with her government class. The rest of the time, she's Charlie Ryland, Olympic-hopeful gymnast. All is well until her best friend Zoe arranges a surprise blind date at the movies, and even though Charlie wants no distractions, she finds herself attracted to star wrestler Bobby surely he would understand her discipline. When she decides to secretly go to prom with Bobby, everything implodes: a freak accident results in Charlie reinjuring the ankle she broke at age 8. Her Olympic dreams may be over, and her double life is revealed, fracturing her relationships with both Zoe and Bobby, perhaps irreparably. Readers interested in gymnastics and what it takes to succeed should find this illuminating, while gymnast Johnson's experiences as an Olympic gold medalist add additional insight. Give to readers who enjoyed Paul Volponi's The Final Four (2012) or Wendelin Van Draanen's The Running Dream (2011)--Roush, Suanne Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Johnson, an Olympic gold-medalist gymnast and memoirist (Winning Balance), segues into fiction with this YA debut. Sophomore Charlie Ryland, who's contending for a spot on the U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team, is keeping her athletic life a secret from her classmates: "In order to maintain some semblance of normality in my life, I perform a balancing act." That balance topples when she severely sprains her ankle while attending prom with her crush, against the wishes of her protective parents. The accident is doubly devastating, as it jeopardizes Charlie's Olympic dreams and makes public her status as an elite gymnast. Writing with Sonnichsen (Red Butterfly), Johnson offers crisp accounts of Charlie's grueling gymnastic training and physical and mental fortitude, while also credibly conveying her anguish at maintaining dual identities and her remorse at the hurt that her deceptions cause. Though there's little doubt that Charlie will stick the landing, so to speak, in the novel's exhilarating finale, readers will be drawn into her passionate devotion to both spheres of her life. Ages 12-up. Agent: Jennifer Keene, Octagon. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 7 Up-Olympic medalist Johnson makes her YA debut with a romance novel about a young gymnast trying to balance her dream of obtaining an Olympic gold medal with her burning desire to be a "normal" teenager. Charlie Ryland lives a double life-as Charlie, she's a serious contender, just one trial away from making the Olympic team. As Charlotte, she attends classes at a high school where no one knows who she is. She's been doing this for four years, but things come to a head right before her final Olympic qualifier, when she winds up serving as temporary secretary in the student government alongside champion wrestler and all-around good guy Bobby Singh. Johnson gives readers a sweet, conventional romance-one predictably heavy on high school drama and surprisingly light on the gymnastics. Details about training, moves, and the basic routines of an elite gymnast are frequently skimmed over, robbing the story of what could have been something special. Charlotte is a likable narrator, though, and her strong desire for privacy and normalcy in a far from normal existence makes her sympathetic. This work, despite its occasional lapses into some noticeably wooden prose and dialogue, moves well, and romance fans seeking a quick fix will speed right through. VERDICT A good addition to any library looking to expand its romance section.-Bobbi Parry, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, LA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

With Amy Sonnichsen. Charlie wants desperately to be a normal teenage girl, so she hides her intense gymnastics training from her school friends. But Charlie's two worlds compete when she's asked to the prom--right before the Olympic trials. While multi-medalist Johnson has unique perspective into chasing an Olympic dream, the dialogue-heavy first-person narrative focuses more on the slim romance than on an insider's experience. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Fifteen-year-old gymnast Charlie is determined to earn a place on Team USA.For years, the white athlete has worked to keep her successful gymnastics career separate from her school life, hoping to escape the scrutiny that accompanies fame. However, with Olympic trials looming, maintaining the facade of a typical high school student becomes complicated for this elite athlete. Charlie's narration reveals the intense personal commitment and training required when competing for a place on the Olympic team. She struggles over her conflicting desires to pursue her Olympic dreams and to experience teenage life outside the world of competitive gymnastics. Olympic gold medalist Johnson, who should know, also examines the complications of fame as Charlie expresses trepidation about its potential effects on her privacy and relationships. Aware of her coach's calamitous history at Olympic trialsher Olympic dreams unraveled amid a scandal over a revealing photographCharlie realizes that distraction can affect her concentration and focus. Yet when her friendship with a boy from school evolves into something more, Charlie finds herself divided between her two lives. Johnson adeptly captures Charlie's life as an elite athlete and effectively addresses the more familiar teen issues of first dates and first romantic relationships. She skillfully builds the emotional intensity of the tale, culminating in a suspenseful finale at the Olympic trials.Johnson's first novel for teens is an absorbing portrait of a young athlete's quest to achieve her Olympic dreams. (Fiction. 12-16) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The Flip Side Chapter One "She stuck that series as if it were a floor pass. Amazing! One thing Charlie Ryland always brings to the table is consistency on beam." A female commentator's voice chimes in. "That's right, Doug. She has both the grace of a ballerina and the fighting spirit of a warrior. It's a joy to watch her." "Yes, an absolute joy. Here comes her dismount. Look at that focused concentration!" I raise my arms. My mind, my muscles, know precisely what to do. Tight. Control. Stick it. I pull my arms in as I power into my twisting dismount. My bare feet hit the mat, and my arms automatically extend over my head. The crowd's cheers fill the stadium, while that rush of adrenaline surges through me, the one that always comes after I nail a beam routine. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if that performance brings her gold. She stuck that landing perfectly." "She's a born winner," the woman says. I see Coach Chris, off to the side, clapping enthusiastically. As I run toward him, his face breaks into a wide grin. "That's my girl." He pats my back affectionately. "Solid routine, Charlie," Coach Rachel says, wrapping me in a firm hug. I'm basking in the thunderous buzz of the crowd, the blinding bright lights-- "Charlotte, what is the main role of Congress?" Mr. Alto's raspy voice snaps me back to reality. I adjust my glasses on the bridge of my nose and see him standing in front of the class, the study guide limp in his fingers. "Daydreaming again?" he asks, his jaw set. He's clearly not happy with me. It's not the first time. "Uh, no." Glancing down at the class discussion sheet on my desk, I squirm. I haven't made a single notation. How am I going to prepare for the upcoming test? Why can't I keep this subject matter straight? "I think . . . it's to keep the House of Representatives in check? So they don't make laws that the American people don't like?" "No." Mr. Alto's tone has a ring of impatience to it. "The House of Representatives is part of Congress. You need to remember the order of government. This will be on the test next Tuesday." I swallow hard. I'm not a bad student. In fact, up until this class I've easily earned straight As. But U.S. government keeps tripping me up. It's only a one-semester course, but for the first nine-week grading period, I barely squeaked by with an A. So far, this grading period has been far less promising. "Step up your game, Charlotte," Mr. Alto says, pointing a thick finger at me. "Yes, sir." I cast a sideways glance at my friend Zoe Parker, who sits beside me. She looks back at me pityingly. "We'll study together," she mouths. I nod, although I'm not sure where I'll find time for a study session with her. As soon as this class is over, I'm heading out of town for the weekend and won't be back until Tuesday. As others answer the remainder of the study questions, I make notes on the class discussion sheet. But at the bottom of the page I've been doodling. Last camp, I've written with squiggles and hearts around it. Your time to shine. Underneath I've drawn something that looks suspiciously like an Olympic gold medal. •  •  • Zoe and I walk out of Mr. Alto's room together. "We need to sync our schedules," she says. "Figure out the best time for studying this weekend." "I've got a plane to catch. I'm on my way out now." "Oh, that's right. Going to your aunt's ranch in Texas." Zoe grins at me and wiggles her eyebrows. "Maybe you'll hook up with a cowboy." I laugh. "Probably not." It's not that kind of ranch, but I can't tell her that, or that no aunt will be there. Guilt pricks me because I'm not being completely honest with her, but too much is at stake. Mostly my sanity. "I'm going to miss you," she says. "I'll be back to school on Tuesday." "We'll need to start examining our prom options when you get back, consider who we can get to take us." I give a low laugh. "The prom is only for juniors and seniors. We're sophomores." "Which is why we need to consider which upperclassman we might get to take us." She smiles brightly, her eyes shining with excitement. "Wouldn't it be awesome to have an older boy take us? We'd be special, getting into a dance that most sophomores only dream about." Going to prom isn't something I've ever dreamed about, although I do have to admit that my dreams revolve around me doing something else that very few people get a chance to do. "I'm not going to have time for prom," I admit. She comes to an abrupt halt in the hallway, forcing me to stop as well. "How can you not have time for prom?" she asks. It's the weekend right before Olympic trials. My focus has to be on trials if I want to have any chance at all of going to the Olympics. "I think my family is doing something that weekend." "Get out of it. You can stay with me." I don't have time to come up with a plausible excuse right now, especially when the odds are that no one will invite me to prom anyway. I don't exactly have guys--much less the required junior or senior--tripping over themselves to talk to or hang out with me. Since the school year started more than eight months ago, I've had very little time for anything other than studying and practice. "I've got to skedaddle, but we'll talk when I get back." "Text me a picture of a cowboy." Shaking my head and chuckling at her one-track mind, I continue to the office to sign out. When I first started gymnastics, life was totally ordinary. I did everything--soccer, ballet, T-ball. But when I turned six, gymnastics took over. I was invited onto our gym's TOPs team--short for "Talent Opportunity Program"--which is a way for USA Gymnastics to find rising talent in kids who are between seven and ten years old. After that there was no turning back. I loved it, and my parents sacrificed to make it work. That was when we lived in Indiana. When I was eight, my coaches wanted me to be homeschooled because a flexible schedule would give me more time to practice gymnastics, so Mom spent three years homeschooling me. But I missed real life. I missed being around girls who weren't associated with gymnastics, and I missed having boys in my class and going to sleepovers and birthday parties. Then we moved to Columbus, Ohio, where I started at one of the best gyms in the country. I was eleven. My new coach, Coach Chris, thought I could qualify for the USA Gymnastics Junior Elite program by age thirteen. And I wanted it. I wanted it bad. But I also wanted a life outside the gym. My parents and my coaches worked out a schedule so that I could go to public school (and I did still manage to make Junior Elite by thirteen). So for four years now, I've been going to regular school and I love it. It balances out the crazy in the rest of my life. And life as an elite gymnast can get crazy. When I was younger, just starting gymnastics, I idolized several elite gymnasts, followed their careers, and imagined the day when I would be where they were. A couple of them had overly enthusiastic supporters following them around, bombarding them with social media posts. It seemed a little scary to have perfect strangers following your life so closely. I read in an interview with one gymnast how challenging it was for her to not buckle under the pressure of trying to please a lot of people, and trying to meet others' expectations. I also remember seeing a YouTube video of a gymnast crying because she was being heckled after a poor showing at a meet. I felt enough pressure competing. I didn't want to heap others' dreams or hopes for my success onto my plate. So when I returned to public school, I decided to keep my gymnastics life a secret. In order to maintain some semblance of normality in my life, I perform a balancing act. At school I'm Charlotte with glasses and long blond hair that falls into my face; at the gym I'm Charlie in a leotard and a ponytail. On social media I have my gymnastics followers who leave fan mail on my Charlie Ryland Gymnast account pages. I post videos and pictures there sometimes, but only of gymnastics. Charlotte Ryland is the name on my personal Instagram account, where I never, ever post gymnastics stuff. I think I've done a pretty good job of keeping the two worlds completely separate. It helps that I'm known only a little bit in the gymnastics world. I'm up-and-coming, and it's not at all like I'm famous. No one seems to have put two and two together, thank goodness. "Out again?" the attendance secretary asks, winking at me from behind the counter-high desk. "Yep." I take the clipboard she offers me. I know the sign-out routine. She knows the truth about me. The principal and one of the counselors do too. Mom and Dad had a meeting with them when they enrolled me at Jefferson High, explaining my rigorous schedule and the need for a few exceptions to the rules. In order to get in my conditioning training, I have no first-period class. Instead I spend that time at the gym. But my not having that first class doesn't raise any red flags, because other students arrive late, those who are part of work programs or attend off-campus classes at the community college. Final bell rings at three, and I'm able to get to the gym by three thirty. It makes for a long day, but it's totally worth it. My parents also made it clear to the school officials that I didn't want my outside-of-school activities made public. The people who are in the loop have been super-respectful and supportive. "There's some exciting stuff coming up," the secretary says in a voice low enough that the other office staff can't overhear her. I think she likes knowing what the others don't. I smile. "Yeah." "I'm excited for you, Charlotte. You're going to do great." "Thanks." I adjust the straps on my backpack. "I'll see you next Tuesday." I leave the building with a spring in my step. Heading to Texas always fills me with anticipation. The ranch is one of my favorite places in the world. Which is odd, considering it's also one of the places most likely to destroy me. Excerpted from The Flip Side by Shawn Johnson All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.