Kicking Up Dirt: A True Story of Determination, Deafness, and Daring

by Ashley Fiolek, Caroline Ryder

“Ashley Fiolek’s incredible story perfectly embodies the adage ‘the only thing that deaf people can’t do is hear.’ Fiolek is an inspiration to anyone who has a barrier to overcome. My hands are waving in the air, and I’m screaming for her; this book should not be missed.”
—Marlee Matlin “Ashley Fiolek’s not just good at motocross for a girl…she’s flat-out good. She is a tough, confident, competitive racer who has overcome enough in her life to know that nothing is impossible.”
—Travis Pastrana, nine-time X Games gold medalist and host of Nitro Circus Called “a crusader for gender equity in her sport” by the New York Times , 2008 Women’s Motocross Champion Ashley Fiolek’s inspiring memoir about her life-long deafness, her triumph over adversity, her rise to the top of her male-dominated extreme sport, and how her family and Christian faith helped her get there. Fans of motocross and extreme sports, as well as readers who enjoyed memoirs such as Bethany Hamilton’s Soul Surfer , will be inspired by Kicking Up Dirt .

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2010

Reviews

[Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing though for some people that don't race dirt bikes some of the names may seem confusing.This book is a bout a 19 Year old girl that is deaf and rises through the amatuer ranks to become a WMX pro motocrosser.I would recomend this book to any girl motocrossers or people that want to learn more about Ashley.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a woman in motocross. She's only 5'2 but can handle a 250cc dirt bike, is the first woman to be on a factory team, and she's deaf. She's not even old enough to drink but is handed champagne in the victory's circle to poor on her team. Her name is Ashley Fiolek, pronounced "Fy-lek, not Fee-oh-lek."

For full review, please click the link:

http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2010/...

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book so much! I love to read her story of how she became her today.

[Cole Bergeron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book that keeps you on the edge of your seat!

[Christian Hannemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend this book to people who are into sports, biographies and also teenagers. I would reccomend this book to those people, because I feel like it would keep them interested. It's about a girl who is deaf, and has to overcome many challenges in her life. Such as, everyday things like communication and her job. She depends on the vibrations and shadows on the ground to guide her through each moto. This story starts out when she was a baby and continues on from there. This book and Ashley are an inspiration. Living your dreams when others thought it would be impossible. She proved herself, not only to her family and herself, but to the world as well. With determination, patience and a supporting family she has proved you really can do anything you set your mind too.

[Kirsty (alkalinekiwi) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This caught my eye at a bookshop discount sale and the description fascinated me enough that I wanted to read it.

I found this a quick read and powered through it in one sitting as the subject matter of motorcross was gripping. How she learns to feel her bike to know how to change gears, how she would get back up on her bike after crashes and how her and others worked for equality for women in the sport was very inspirational.

I have a few people in mind to pass this on to.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really spoke to me and I really enjoyed it. The emotions were great and I really felt like she was talking to me. I would love to meet Ashley she is great and truly inspirational. I'm so jealous that she got to meet Travis Pastrana. Would definitely recommend to anyone with a love for sport and women who want their sports to become more promoted.

See me full review at rebekahhulse109@blogspot.com

[Isaac Danke · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think that riding a 300 pound motorcycle for 40 minutes is easy, try doing it deaf. This is what Ashley has to deal with. She is currently the top racer in Women's AMA. Her story is inspirational and is a living example that if you set your mind to something, you can do it. This would be a good read for anyone who enjoys extreme sports.

[Ace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It's a terrific read for fans of motocross, but also fun for those who don't know a lot about the sport - Fiolek does a wonderful job of explaining motocross terms to welcome new fans. The story of her career as a deaf racer is touching and inspirational. The writing is clear and concise, which makes the story accessible to readers of all ages.

[Tweller83 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story about a girl motocross rider who happens to be deaf as well. I enjoyed learning more about the sport and how she rides without being able to hear the engines and the other racers. She has been extremely successful. I think my students will like this one.

[Trevan Hetzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An autobiography of one of the fastest women motocrossers, Kicking up Dirt is a fun inside look at the life of a top pro. Ashley's detailed journey from birth to WMX championships is a great testimony that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Being deaf hasn't held her back one bit!

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

We decided that although we learned a lot about motocross through Ashley's story, it was often bogged down in details about each individual race.

[William Kregor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book because it is well written about her life of MotoX. I find it amazing that she is blind and she has to learn how to ride a Dirtbike without being able to hear the motors revs.

[Grant Laird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!!!

[Morgan]

This is now one of my favorite books! It was so interesting!!!

[Rodney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I love to read Ashley
Fiolek's book.