Published: 2023
Series: N/A
Author: Chaunté Lowe
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Middle Grade, Sports, Motivational
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 3-7
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads Link: Boundless
Triggers / Content Warnings: Poverty, food insecurity, homelessness, and domestic abuse.
Review By: Molly Clark
Publisher’s Summary:
World champion high jumper Chaunté Lowe pens the captivating story of her journey from an impoverished childhood full of big dreams and devastating hurdles, to becoming a bronze medal-winning US Olympian. Scholastic Focus is the premier home of thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and thoughtfully designed works of narrative nonfiction aimed at middle-grade and young adult readers. These books help readers learn about the world in which they live and develop their critical thinking skills so that they may become dynamic citizens who are able to analyze and understand our past, participate in essential discussions about our present, and work to grow and build our future. Everything seemed set against Chaunté Lowe. Growing up with a single mother in Paso Robles, California, where she experienced food insecurity, homelessness, and domestic abuse, Chaunté couldn’t imagine a future that offered a different sort of life. But then, one day, she turned on the TV and there was Flo Jo, competing in the Olympics and shattering records in track and field. Almost immediately, Chaunté knew what she wanted to do. She started running. With the help of a small community of friends, family, and coaches, Chaunté worked as hard as she could – both in the classroom and out on the sports field – and through her own fierce determination and grit, she overcame every imaginable obstacle, eventually propelling herself to the place she always dreamed the Olympic medal podium. Boundless is a story that will move anyone who’s ever had a big dream, ever dared to hope for a better future, and ever believed that nothing was impossible. In her own words, Chaunté presents her remarkable and inspiring story of loss and survival, perseverance and hope.
Review:
This is an inspiring story about overcoming poverty and hardship to achieve a dream. Readers don’t have to be aspiring athletes to appreciate Chaunté’s story. They just have to have a dream. If nothing else, students who are experiencing the hardships that Chaunté endured will walk away knowing that it is possible to change their life circumstances. They do have the ability to change their path if they are willing to work hard. At one point Chaunté realizes she should have a coach to help her improve her athletic ability so she shows up at a soccer practice her classmates attend. When the coach turns her away because she’s not a paid member of the team, Chaunté doesn’t let that stop her. She watches the team from afar and follows along with their drills on her own. The strength and independence of the author is not something that is modeled often enough for our students. She never loses sight of her goals and works hard on the track and in the classroom because she recognizes that college is her path to success. If you can’t read the book, I highly recommend watching her TEDtalk.
Pair with Free Lunch by Rex Ogle.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- ELA (English Language Arts): Flawless mentor text for studying standard autobiography conventions, structural pacing, first-person point of view, and evaluating the difference between narrative nonfiction prose versus traditional fiction.
- Social Studies & Civics: Integrates seamlessly into units exploring modern American history, structural inequality, local public health crises (food insecurity, housing instability), and the socioeconomic mechanics of institutional access.
- Physical Education & Health (Science): Serves as a great study on athletic conditioning, physical endurance, and exploring the science behind athletic development, alongside analyzing the mental health benefits of sport.
- Extension Activity / Library Application: Perfect for an interactive middle school library choiceboard selection or classroom activity. Teachers can partner Boundless with Free Lunch by Rex Ogle. After comparing both books, librarians can host a “Goal-Mapping and Community Resource Matrix” workshop where students identify their personal goals alongside local or regional community support networks that can help them achieve those milestones.
- Diversity & Representation: The book models outstanding diversity, equity, and inclusion by placing a Black female athlete’s authentic voice at the forefront of the narrative. By directly illustrating her lived experience with homelessness, domestic violence, and financial strain without reducing her entire identity to trauma, Lowe highlights an essential, empowering story of intersectional identity, agency, and marginalized success.
