Work with What You Got: A Memoir

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.