To answer several recent queries, yes, Young Woman and the Sea is appropriate reading for young women. My own thirteen year old daughter has read the book, and any precocious young reader over the age of eleven or twelve should find the book accessible, as should most high school age girls, particularly those interested in sports. As any reading teacher can tell you, kids read above their level when interested in a topic, and in my experience speaking to young people about this book, young women find the story of Trudy Ederle swimming the English Channel to be inspiring. So go ahead - put it under the tree.