The Running Dream

The Running Dream by Wedelin Van Draanen

This was great, on many, many levels. Top marks! Loved it! I'm already planning something big around this one.

Summary:

What would you do if you lost the one thing that mattered most?

Sixteen-year-old Jessica is a runner. It's not just what she does, it's who she is. So when a tragic accident causes her to lose one of her legs, she is shattered - inside and out.

Though the doctores say she'll be able to walk with a prosthetic limb, recovery is slow and full of pitfalls. Jessica wonders if the girl who died in the accident didn't get the better end of the deal. But as she struggles to reclaim her life, Jessica get to know Rosa - a girl with cerebral palsy whom she and her friends had always overlooked. Not only does Rosa come to Jessica's rescue in math, she also helps her reach for a future that is full of wonder: Is it possible not only to walk again, but to run?

"I ran everywhere. raced everyone. I loved the wind across my cheeks, through my hair. Running aired out my soul. It made me fell alive. And now? I'm stuck in this bed, knowing I'll never run again."

This book will make you look at things differently, appreciate the little things that we so often take for granted each and every day.

Here's Wendelin Van Draanen introducing the book.