The Running Dream (Schneider Family Book Award - Teen Book Winner)

Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?

As she struggles to cope, Jessica feels that she’s both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don’t know what to say act like she’s not there. Jessica’s embarrassed to realize that she’s done the same to a girl with CP named Rosa. A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she’s missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her.

With the support of family, friends, a coach, and her track teammates, Jessica may actually be able to run again. But that’s not enough for her now. She doesn’t show more just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her. show less

The Running Dream sucked me in right away. The pace is quick and it was hard for me to put the book down. Van Draanen does a great job of describing the mental anguish of Jessica’s first weeks after losing a leg. She also provides a lot of details about doctor’s visits, prosthesis fittings, etc., that feel authentic and are told in a way that is interesting. The story if very upbeat, perhaps to a fault, and the characters are not overly nuanced. However, this didn’t stop me from enjoying the book overall and I think it would appeal to a lot of readers.

"I feel like I'm flying."

For a runner, you know exactly what that phrase means. The sound of your feet hitting the ground, your arms swishing, the breeze, the sun, the rain. I'm a runner. I absolutely love running and I have for a very long time.

I can't imagine if that had been taken away from me when I was younger - in high school. But that's what's happened to Jessica. In a tragic, horrible, senseless accident - a student is killed and Jessica is injured. This story is about Jessica's recovery and her road to finding a new her. When running defines you and you can't do it anymore - who are you?

I love that this story is sad - but only for a minute. most of it is finding out what happens when someone loses a foot. You learn about AK show more and BK and the world of socks and towel massages and all of it is so informative but interesting. It's a wonderful story and one I"m glad I read. show less

Jessica thinks her life is over when she looses a leg in a car accident. She is not comforted by the thought of walking with a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? People who don't know what to say act like she's not there. She could handle it if she wasn't aware she had done the same to a girl named Rosa, who has cerebral palsy. Rosa is more than her wheelchair. She has a lot to give and so does Jessica. How can the two help each other reach their dreams?

Flipped is one of my all-time favorite books, so when I saw the author's name on "The Running Dream" at the Scholastic Warehouse Sale, I picked it up. It's an easy read and the kind of read that once I started I could not stop.

I also cried a couple of times, just to warn you. Really interesting story of how a high school track star copes with losing a leg. Spooky moment: part of the story cites Oscar Pistorius as inspiration...I was reading this the day after he was arrested for killing his girlfriend.

It made me want to start running again...

Wow, this is such an inspirational story and so beautifully written - I can't recommend it highly enough! At sixteen, the unthinkable happens. Jessica is involved in a serious accident which leaves a team mate dead and part of her leg amputated. Being an elite runner, Jessica feels that her world has ended. However, this is a book about courage, perseverance, hope, true friendships and new beginnings.

I was totally engrossed in Jessica's journey. I shared her highs and her lows. I laughed and cried with her, and I found myself cheering for her time and time again. She is a fabulous, moving heroine with an honest voice and is supported by a range of wonderful characters. I love Fiona, Jessica's best friend, who is quirky and upbeat, but show more I think I was touched most by Rosa. Rosa has cerebral palsy, a fabulous mathematical brain and continual words of encouragement for Jessica, but she wants to be known for who is is, not what disability she she suffers from. I particularly liked how the friendship between Jessica and Rosa develops and was moved by what Jessica does for Rosa at the end of the story as a thank you for everything Rosa has done for her.

This story will have wide appeal to a range of readers. show less

Wonderful to watch Jessica's growth and the blossoming of her friendship with Rosa. A good book to show kids inside the head of a teen who has to deal with the loss of a limb. An absorbing read.