Amy Schneider retells her own story which led her to winning Jeopardy. She had received many questions how she got so smart which led her to relating her story in a form of a chapter starting with a question, and Amy answering it.

Since childhood, she enjoyed watching Jeopardy. She grew up in an environment where curiosity was encouraged and nurtured.

She describes the rules of Jeopardy and how you can arrive with answers or rather questions (which the show was about). This part, at some moments sounds a bit technical; at others, it’s quite fascinating how her logic worked.

She also delves into her story of being transgender and how once knowledge was encouraged among boys and not girls; also relating some painful experiences.

My favorite chapter was the one when she talks about her mother and how mentors come in different forms. Her mother was a phenomenal teacher because she was passionate about her teachings.

Amy gives further examples of people who were her good mentors and to have your eyes open for such people in your life.

Amy’s biography is a great example of how important it is to explore one’s curiosity and to keep asking questions, to stay true to yourself which is not always easy.

This biography is meant for children ages 8-12 years. I’m not sure if the language is simple enough to make it a smooth read for this age children. And with all the content in the story, it might be a challenging read for children this age group.

I have been a fan of Jeopardy! since I was the age of the target audience of this book (a long time ago) and though I have not watched every episode since then, I try to watch when life doesn't interfere. In the year that Amy had won her 40 episode streak, life took a pause (for Covid) and I found myself catching every episode of Amy's (as well as Mattea Roach's and Matt Amodio's) run. Amy had done something special, not only had she taken over the spot for the second longest streak on the show (just months after Amodio had sinched it), but she had chronicled her run on her social media (Twitter). I'm sure that some fans came to her books (this one or the "adult" version) looking for that extra jeopardy behind-the-scenes experience but that isn't what this book is about. There is a bit about Jeopardy in the book since that experience is what brought her into a public space but this book is Amy's story of the forty-something years that made her who she is. She touches on transitioning, ADHD (well, ADD), therapy, depression, bullying, her upbringing, and enjoying her fame. Having read In The Form of a Question..., I completely understand that warning at the beginning that it is not meant for a younger audience, from advocating for self-medicating undiagnosed medical conditions with hard-core drugs to discussing encounters in alleys with random strangers with no regard for STDs. This version of her story is less intense, advocates for therapy, does not discuss drug use, polyamory or any intimate encounters. Also missing are the chapters explaining every tarot card of the major arcana and the TV show Daria, making this a much clearer version of her story even for adult audiences. Though the decision of what an impressionable child should read ultimately belongs with their parents, I think this book does a responsible job of presenting the subject in an age-appropriate way for mature pre-teens and teen, and might be relatable to anyone questioning their gender identity, know someone who transitioned, or coping with ADHD. This might also be the right fit for those older adult fans of Jeopardy! who really enjoyed Amy's appearance on the show and want to learn a bit more about her but not quite as much as her "adult" book shared.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

I'm not sure how age appropriate this is, in the sense that I'm not sure if anyone under the age of 60 watches Jeopardy frequently. But to the young readers that do, I am sure they will love this. It's engaging and fun and interesting. As a fan of Jeopardy myself, it was nice learning more about the legend that's Amy Schneider.

4.5 stars rounded up. This was a simple but engaging, age-appropriate memoir about an inspirational figure. I love Jeopardy and have been a fan of Amy's since her original appearance. I enjoyed reading her story and think it will appeal to young readers too.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.