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The Running Dream
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Young Adult Fiction (2011)
An award-winning and inspiring novel. When Jessica's dreams are shattered, she puts herself back together—and learns to dream bigger than ever before.
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 with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself 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 just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award
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 with crutches and a first cyborg-like prosthetic, Jessica feels oddly both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don't know what to say, act like she's not there. Which she could handle better if she weren't now keenly aware that she'd done the same thing herself 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 just want to cross finish lines herself—she wants to take Rosa with her.
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award
339 pages, Hardcover
First published January 11, 2011
About the author
Wendelin Van Draanen
49 books2,103 followersWendelin Van Draanen has written more than thirty novels for young readers and teens. She is the author of the 18-book Edgar-winning Sammy Keyes series, and wrote Flipped which was named a Top 100 Children’s Novel for the 21st Century by SLJ, and became a Warner Brothers feature film with Rob Reiner directing. Her novel The Running Dream was awarded ALA’s Schneider Family Award for its portrayal of the disability experience.
Van Draanen's latest book, Hope in the Mail, is part memoir, part writing guided, designed to encourage aspiring writers to pursue their dream.
Van Draanen is also the author of two short chapter-book series. The Gecko & Sticky books, are fun read-alouds, perfect for reluctant readers, and the Shredderman books—featuring a boy who deals with a bully—received the Christopher Award for “affirming the highest values of the human spirit” and became a Nickelodeon made-for-TV movie.
Van Draanen was a classroom teacher for fifteen years. She and her husband reside in California and have two sons.
Van Draanen's latest book, Hope in the Mail, is part memoir, part writing guided, designed to encourage aspiring writers to pursue their dream.
Van Draanen is also the author of two short chapter-book series. The Gecko & Sticky books, are fun read-alouds, perfect for reluctant readers, and the Shredderman books—featuring a boy who deals with a bully—received the Christopher Award for “affirming the highest values of the human spirit” and became a Nickelodeon made-for-TV movie.
Van Draanen was a classroom teacher for fifteen years. She and her husband reside in California and have two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,453 reviews
August 3, 2017
I can't believe I listened to this entire thing in one night. It was so addicting. My favorite thig about it is that it's not just some story about Jessica recovering and being able to run again, but it has this great moral about disabilities in general that you should never judge anyone based off of their looks. I think the fact that this book incorporated and highlighted a character with cerebral palsy was incredible and eye-opening.
Overall this book had an awesome moral and it exceeded my expectations. Such a beautiful story of friendship and recovery.
Overall this book had an awesome moral and it exceeded my expectations. Such a beautiful story of friendship and recovery.
August 19, 2012
I was nervous about reading The Running Dream. On the one hand, Wendelin Van Draanen has become one of my favorite YA authors over the past few months, thanks to her brilliant Sammy Keyes YA mystery series. On the other, I've come to be wary of novels featuring kids with amputeeism--thanks, in part, to books like Hannah Tinti's The Good Thief, which stars a kid without a hand but reads as if the author has never talked to a person without a hand in her life. So I'd been deliberately avoiding Van Draanen's The Running Dream, which centers around a high school track star whose leg is amputated after a bus crash. I wasn't ready to risk losing respect for an author I admired if the book turned out to be a train wreck of disability stereotypes.
But yesterday, at the library with time to kill, I decided to give the first few pages a chance. The story opens with Jessica, the main character, recovering in the hospital just after the amputation of her right leg below the knee, realizing that she'll never run again. Four or five hours later, I was finishing the last page. (Uh, don't worry, I did go home and eat dinner at some point in there. I didn't just sit in the library for five hours!)
I was relieved to find that Van Draanen had done her homework with regards to Jessica's physical recovery. Jessica's experiences adjusting to crutches, learning to navigate showers and cars, figuring out where to sit in a classroom when using a wheelchair, prosthesis fitting appointments, etc., read as though Van Draanen had spent a year hanging out with recent amputees and thinking about life from their perspective. With regards to the book's portrayal of the emotional experience of surviving a bus crash and having an amputation, I'm just not qualified to evaluate that in the same way as someone who had been through it would be. But I felt satisfied with Van Draanen's portrayal. Based on what I've experienced and what I can imagine, I thought Jessica's depression, eventual stabilization, and re-entry into high school life seemed pretty realistic.
The part of the book that I was most nervous about was Jessica's friendship with Rosa. Rosa is two grades lower than Jessica, has cerebral palsy, and uses a wheelchair. Jessica never talks to her until, due to her own temporary use of a wheelchair, she winds up sitting at a table with Rosa in the back of her math class. Here's how the book's jacket flap describes the two girls' friendship: ...As she struggles to reclaim her life, Jessica gets 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 unexpected opportunities.
If you've read or seen a lot of stories about people with disabilities and you have a disability rights background, I think you'll understand why this made me nervous. Does anyone recall the episode of Glee where Rachel loses her voice, freaks out about not being able to sing, and Finn introduces her to a paraplegic former football player? The former football player helps Rachel see that her future could be "full of unexpected opportunities" in spite of losing the ability to do something she excels at. Rachel promises to come by and give him weekly singing lessons, they sing a song together--and then you never see him on the show ever again.
I mean, it's just so handy, right? It's like people with disabilities are something you can just pull out of the closet when you need some inspiration--and then you just put them back when you're done! It's like magic! Magical, no-fuss, no-muss inspiration! ...So you see, I was reluctant to read Van Draanen's book because I was afraid that The Running Dream would be a story like that.
So is it? Well--yeah, but not how you might expect. Jessica eventually trades in her wheelchair for crutches. Her crutches for a temporary prosthetic leg. Her temporary leg for a better leg. And, finally, her better leg for a running leg. As Jessica returns to the world of the able-bodied, she feels like her friendship with Rosa is slipping away. So Jessica tries to figure out a way to keep a connection with Rosa, and to pay Rosa back for helping her pass math class.
Some disability rights folk probably wouldn't be satisfied with the idea that Jessica comes up with, which forms the climax of the book, but I was. Maybe it's not what a team of Disability Studies scholars would have come up with--but it certainly seemed like what a seventeen year-old girl who had had a disability for less than a year would do, and I think that's okay in this context. It's true to the story.
There were a couple other moments like that--like when the track team, without Jessica's knowledge, forms a campaign to raise money for a running prosthesis and titles the campaign "Help Jessica Run." To me, this is problematic because the team doesn't ask Jessica's opinion first and because the focus of the campaign (at least in name and conception) is on helping Jessica as a passive person capable only of receiving aid. But it's also the kind of thing a high school track team in real life would do. Along similar lines, Jessica connects with a love interest when he tells her how much she "inspires" him. PC? No. True to life? Yes.
So I liked this book. I think it's a very good contribution to the small field of YA books about teens with disabilities and deformities. And on top of all that, now I can move on to the next Sammy Keyes book with peace of mind :-)
But yesterday, at the library with time to kill, I decided to give the first few pages a chance. The story opens with Jessica, the main character, recovering in the hospital just after the amputation of her right leg below the knee, realizing that she'll never run again. Four or five hours later, I was finishing the last page. (Uh, don't worry, I did go home and eat dinner at some point in there. I didn't just sit in the library for five hours!)
I was relieved to find that Van Draanen had done her homework with regards to Jessica's physical recovery. Jessica's experiences adjusting to crutches, learning to navigate showers and cars, figuring out where to sit in a classroom when using a wheelchair, prosthesis fitting appointments, etc., read as though Van Draanen had spent a year hanging out with recent amputees and thinking about life from their perspective. With regards to the book's portrayal of the emotional experience of surviving a bus crash and having an amputation, I'm just not qualified to evaluate that in the same way as someone who had been through it would be. But I felt satisfied with Van Draanen's portrayal. Based on what I've experienced and what I can imagine, I thought Jessica's depression, eventual stabilization, and re-entry into high school life seemed pretty realistic.
The part of the book that I was most nervous about was Jessica's friendship with Rosa. Rosa is two grades lower than Jessica, has cerebral palsy, and uses a wheelchair. Jessica never talks to her until, due to her own temporary use of a wheelchair, she winds up sitting at a table with Rosa in the back of her math class. Here's how the book's jacket flap describes the two girls' friendship: ...As she struggles to reclaim her life, Jessica gets 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 unexpected opportunities.
If you've read or seen a lot of stories about people with disabilities and you have a disability rights background, I think you'll understand why this made me nervous. Does anyone recall the episode of Glee where Rachel loses her voice, freaks out about not being able to sing, and Finn introduces her to a paraplegic former football player? The former football player helps Rachel see that her future could be "full of unexpected opportunities" in spite of losing the ability to do something she excels at. Rachel promises to come by and give him weekly singing lessons, they sing a song together--and then you never see him on the show ever again.
I mean, it's just so handy, right? It's like people with disabilities are something you can just pull out of the closet when you need some inspiration--and then you just put them back when you're done! It's like magic! Magical, no-fuss, no-muss inspiration! ...So you see, I was reluctant to read Van Draanen's book because I was afraid that The Running Dream would be a story like that.
So is it? Well--yeah, but not how you might expect. Jessica eventually trades in her wheelchair for crutches. Her crutches for a temporary prosthetic leg. Her temporary leg for a better leg. And, finally, her better leg for a running leg. As Jessica returns to the world of the able-bodied, she feels like her friendship with Rosa is slipping away. So Jessica tries to figure out a way to keep a connection with Rosa, and to pay Rosa back for helping her pass math class.
Some disability rights folk probably wouldn't be satisfied with the idea that Jessica comes up with, which forms the climax of the book, but I was. Maybe it's not what a team of Disability Studies scholars would have come up with--but it certainly seemed like what a seventeen year-old girl who had had a disability for less than a year would do, and I think that's okay in this context. It's true to the story.
There were a couple other moments like that--like when the track team, without Jessica's knowledge, forms a campaign to raise money for a running prosthesis and titles the campaign "Help Jessica Run." To me, this is problematic because the team doesn't ask Jessica's opinion first and because the focus of the campaign (at least in name and conception) is on helping Jessica as a passive person capable only of receiving aid. But it's also the kind of thing a high school track team in real life would do. Along similar lines, Jessica connects with a love interest when he tells her how much she "inspires" him. PC? No. True to life? Yes.
So I liked this book. I think it's a very good contribution to the small field of YA books about teens with disabilities and deformities. And on top of all that, now I can move on to the next Sammy Keyes book with peace of mind :-)
February 4, 2021
2013 F.A.B. Bookclub pick # I.❤️. F.A.B.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is the second time I’ve read this book. This is why I use good reads. I like reading new books, not re-reading (unless, of course it’s an amazing book). This is a story about a teen who loses her leg in an accident. She’s a runner and the story follows her on her journey to run again. She’s very whiney, like most teens are. It was okay. I definitely wouldn’t read it a third time though! Shelving this as officially read!
Yeah, I’m pretty sure this is the second time I’ve read this book. This is why I use good reads. I like reading new books, not re-reading (unless, of course it’s an amazing book). This is a story about a teen who loses her leg in an accident. She’s a runner and the story follows her on her journey to run again. She’s very whiney, like most teens are. It was okay. I definitely wouldn’t read it a third time though! Shelving this as officially read!
January 17, 2018
The main reason why I wanted to read this was for the friendship that I thought would develop between Jessica, a girl who just lost her leg in an accident, and Rosa, a girl who Jessica had previously ignored because she didn't know what to say to her because she had CP. I guess I thought I was going to get a beautiful friendship that ended up being powerful and genuine but unfortunately, I didn't get that. I thought that their friendship was very shallow and I wasn't really impressed. I think that a big problem was Jessica. She seemed very patronising when she spoke to/of Rosa. They also just didn't build up a proper friendship, Van Draanen should have had them spend more time together and had them talk more.
Rosa wanted to be known for her personality and she wanted people to see past her disability. That is awesome, and a great message to send to younger YA readers BUT I also thought that Rosa wasn't very three-dimensional outside of her disability. So she didn't end up feeling like a complex character, she felt very much just like a personalisation of CP, which I'm guessing is the opposite of what Van Draanen wanted. Younger readers may not notice the authenticity of characters, but I do. Saying that, Rosa wasn't the only one who wasn't three-dimensional. Most of the characters were one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs, the only difference is instead of them just being a personalisation of CP, they were the usual clichés of supportive best friend, evil pretty popular girl, handsome understanding love interest, etc. Jessica was the only character who was three-dimensional in any way and she was just okay. She had her moments of being likeable and unlikeable.
The story is cute enough and its a positive book but its got no meat in it. It is just the tip of the iceberg and I guess I wanted more. I also wish it was more about Jessica and Rosa, rather than just Jessica. The romance was also completely redundant, focusing more on the friendship would have been better. Overall, I just thought it was too juvenile for my tastes.
I would recommend this to younger readers, probably teens aged 14 and under, but I wouldn't recommend it to others outside that. I previously read Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen but I found that to be quite juvenile too so I'm not sure if I would read more books by her in the future.
Rosa wanted to be known for her personality and she wanted people to see past her disability. That is awesome, and a great message to send to younger YA readers BUT I also thought that Rosa wasn't very three-dimensional outside of her disability. So she didn't end up feeling like a complex character, she felt very much just like a personalisation of CP, which I'm guessing is the opposite of what Van Draanen wanted. Younger readers may not notice the authenticity of characters, but I do. Saying that, Rosa wasn't the only one who wasn't three-dimensional. Most of the characters were one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs, the only difference is instead of them just being a personalisation of CP, they were the usual clichés of supportive best friend, evil pretty popular girl, handsome understanding love interest, etc. Jessica was the only character who was three-dimensional in any way and she was just okay. She had her moments of being likeable and unlikeable.
The story is cute enough and its a positive book but its got no meat in it. It is just the tip of the iceberg and I guess I wanted more. I also wish it was more about Jessica and Rosa, rather than just Jessica. The romance was also completely redundant, focusing more on the friendship would have been better. Overall, I just thought it was too juvenile for my tastes.
I would recommend this to younger readers, probably teens aged 14 and under, but I wouldn't recommend it to others outside that. I previously read Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen but I found that to be quite juvenile too so I'm not sure if I would read more books by her in the future.
March 31, 2021
زندگی اون چیزی نیست که براتون اتفاق میافته، بلکه مهم کاریه که واسه اون اتفاق انجام میدین...
August 1, 2014
There was some books that a 5-star is not enough to convey how amazing they are. This is one of the books. I wish I can give it six stars, ten stars....because this book is up there on a caliber by itself.
For me, what makes this book amazing is how real the story was told. This story is an emotional one and actually Wendelin van DRaanen can easily exploit the story to make us, the reader, sob and cry and feel sorry for the character. But, she didn't do it.
She told the story as it is, nothing less and nothing more. It was told as it would happen in reality. ( I keep on thinking that this book is more like biography than a fiction because I can imagine a Jessica out there existing)
What happen to Jessica can happen to any of us. It's just a matter of bad luck. Through this book we took a journey with her through her despair, anger, humiliation, hope, perseverance, and dream.
Another thing that I like is how Jessica reach the end of the book with the helps of many people. Without her family, Fiona, ROsa, coach Kyro,the team, and all other people, she definitely can't do it. It's a group effort. I get the sense that all of these people helped because they really care and definitely not because of pity. It's a triumph of human kindness.
For me, what makes this book amazing is how real the story was told. This story is an emotional one and actually Wendelin van DRaanen can easily exploit the story to make us, the reader, sob and cry and feel sorry for the character. But, she didn't do it.
She told the story as it is, nothing less and nothing more. It was told as it would happen in reality. ( I keep on thinking that this book is more like biography than a fiction because I can imagine a Jessica out there existing)
What happen to Jessica can happen to any of us. It's just a matter of bad luck. Through this book we took a journey with her through her despair, anger, humiliation, hope, perseverance, and dream.
Another thing that I like is how Jessica reach the end of the book with the helps of many people. Without her family, Fiona, ROsa, coach Kyro,the team, and all other people, she definitely can't do it. It's a group effort. I get the sense that all of these people helped because they really care and definitely not because of pity. It's a triumph of human kindness.
June 18, 2019
5 STARS. OH MY GOSH I LOVED THIS BOOK. From the first page to the last page, it completely grabbed me, held my attention, and made me super emotional. I can't believe it took me THIS LONG to read another Wendelin Van Draanan book — because if you know me, you know I'm HEAD OVER HEELS OBSESSED WITH FLIPPED. Of course, as a total die-hard fangirl I still love Flipped best of all, but The Running Dream is AMAZING and here's why!
The characters.
ALL the characters in this book are so well-written. Jessica, our protagonist, is a runner who has just lost her right leg in a tragic bus accident. The story begins with her waking up in the hospital post-amputation to find that her life has been completely turned upside-down. (CAN WE JUST PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND APPRECIATE HOW PERFECT THE OPENING IS?? Talk about jumping right in with the inciting incident!! It grabbed me right away and didn't let me go.) Jessica felt real. Though not everyone will be able to relate to her physical struggles, her emotional and mental conflict cut right to the heart! Her reactions and responses to everything life threw at her always felt realistic. She was shook (and rightly so) by the accident, but never obnoxiously whiney. She grew and transformed because of her circumstances and in spite of her circumstances. She was a character I could believe in.
The supporting characters were also amazing — every one of them felt 3-dimensional and human, with flaws and hopes and fears of their own. Jessica's parents were amazing. Her best friend, Fiona, was epic. Jessica's new friend, Rosa, was awesome. I loved how she led a story of her own and took the plot for an interesting and engaging twist. I think the thing I loved the most about the characters was how their stories all worked together. Jessica learned from Rosa, but Rosa also learned from Jessica. Fiona learned from Jessica, and Rosa — and so did Gavin. It felt so realistic, because everyone's lives and decisions and conflict interwove with the rest of the characters and, in some way, impacted each other.
The journeys.
Jessica goes on a pretty big journey — learning not just how to run with a different ability, but learning how to live, and not let anything stand in her way. Her inner battles felt so raw and realistic, I WAS GETTING SUPER EMOTIONAL READING THIS BOOK. Over the course of eight months, she goes through a roller coaster of a journey — and all of it felt so natural and smooth. The pacing was beautiful, and I never felt like Jessica had a major shift too quickly.
The themes.
AJLKFJKSJDKASJD. THE THEMES IN THIS BOOK HONEY. THEY ARE GOOD. if you know me at all, you know I LOVE A GOOD UPLIFTING READ. I believe that the world needs more stories with positive themes and happy endings, and this book has no shortage of that!! I love love LOVE the themes of overcoming, healing, hope, teamwork, friendship, dreaming big, and seeing people for who they are, not just their conditions or disabilities. The themes made me giddy. I especially loved the (more subtle) theme of self-worth and how that ultimately comes from within. There was a line about "weeds in my worthiness garden" and OOF that hit me hard. dang. I loved it.
Other things:
I also really appreciated all the detail and medical accuracy!! Van Draanan really did her research, and it shows. Having written a book including an amputee character (shameless plug: check out my debut novel 100 Days of Sunlight!!) I was excited to see how the author included all the aspects of Jessica's new and different experiences and lifestyle into the story. I think it got a little too technical sometimes?? But I still thought it was cool and A+ for effort. The only nit-pick I had was that I thought it was a little odd that Jessica had never heard of runners with prosthetic legs? Or had never seen anything about the Paralympics? I mean I totally understand that the author was using this realization as a sort of "pivotal moment" in the plot for Jessica, (when she realizes she can run after all) but I just felt like the therapist or prosthetist would have mentioned the possibility of running blades to her, since she was obviously super depressed about not being able to run. BUT THIS WAS SO MINOR and everything else was so good it's not even a problem lol.
WHAT CAN I SAY? I LOVE THIS BOOK. It left me on the final page with a big goofy smile on my face and I can't help but give a story like that 5 generous stars. The world needs more books like The Running Dream. Do yourself a favor and read it.
The characters.
ALL the characters in this book are so well-written. Jessica, our protagonist, is a runner who has just lost her right leg in a tragic bus accident. The story begins with her waking up in the hospital post-amputation to find that her life has been completely turned upside-down. (CAN WE JUST PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND APPRECIATE HOW PERFECT THE OPENING IS?? Talk about jumping right in with the inciting incident!! It grabbed me right away and didn't let me go.) Jessica felt real. Though not everyone will be able to relate to her physical struggles, her emotional and mental conflict cut right to the heart! Her reactions and responses to everything life threw at her always felt realistic. She was shook (and rightly so) by the accident, but never obnoxiously whiney. She grew and transformed because of her circumstances and in spite of her circumstances. She was a character I could believe in.
The supporting characters were also amazing — every one of them felt 3-dimensional and human, with flaws and hopes and fears of their own. Jessica's parents were amazing. Her best friend, Fiona, was epic. Jessica's new friend, Rosa, was awesome. I loved how she led a story of her own and took the plot for an interesting and engaging twist. I think the thing I loved the most about the characters was how their stories all worked together. Jessica learned from Rosa, but Rosa also learned from Jessica. Fiona learned from Jessica, and Rosa — and so did Gavin. It felt so realistic, because everyone's lives and decisions and conflict interwove with the rest of the characters and, in some way, impacted each other.
The journeys.
Jessica goes on a pretty big journey — learning not just how to run with a different ability, but learning how to live, and not let anything stand in her way. Her inner battles felt so raw and realistic, I WAS GETTING SUPER EMOTIONAL READING THIS BOOK. Over the course of eight months, she goes through a roller coaster of a journey — and all of it felt so natural and smooth. The pacing was beautiful, and I never felt like Jessica had a major shift too quickly.
The themes.
AJLKFJKSJDKASJD. THE THEMES IN THIS BOOK HONEY. THEY ARE GOOD. if you know me at all, you know I LOVE A GOOD UPLIFTING READ. I believe that the world needs more stories with positive themes and happy endings, and this book has no shortage of that!! I love love LOVE the themes of overcoming, healing, hope, teamwork, friendship, dreaming big, and seeing people for who they are, not just their conditions or disabilities. The themes made me giddy. I especially loved the (more subtle) theme of self-worth and how that ultimately comes from within. There was a line about "weeds in my worthiness garden" and OOF that hit me hard. dang. I loved it.
Other things:
I also really appreciated all the detail and medical accuracy!! Van Draanan really did her research, and it shows. Having written a book including an amputee character (shameless plug: check out my debut novel 100 Days of Sunlight!!) I was excited to see how the author included all the aspects of Jessica's new and different experiences and lifestyle into the story. I think it got a little too technical sometimes?? But I still thought it was cool and A+ for effort. The only nit-pick I had was that I thought it was a little odd that Jessica had never heard of runners with prosthetic legs? Or had never seen anything about the Paralympics? I mean I totally understand that the author was using this realization as a sort of "pivotal moment" in the plot for Jessica, (when she realizes she can run after all) but I just felt like the therapist or prosthetist would have mentioned the possibility of running blades to her, since she was obviously super depressed about not being able to run. BUT THIS WAS SO MINOR and everything else was so good it's not even a problem lol.
WHAT CAN I SAY? I LOVE THIS BOOK. It left me on the final page with a big goofy smile on my face and I can't help but give a story like that 5 generous stars. The world needs more books like The Running Dream. Do yourself a favor and read it.
October 26, 2014
I am deeply out of step with friends again on this one, and it feels a bit like kicking a puppy to say how much I disliked a book about a runner who loses her foot but overcomes her tragedy - in theory. In reality, I disliked the prose, very much disliked the voice and hated the odd little pro-track-team/anti-other types of athletes (or bad track team whiners) thing going on. Little quote to indicate the prose before another few quotes just to vent. This one comes two pages after Jessica asks her best friend about school (to which she hasn't returned, after the accident in which she lost her foot) and Fiona asks in return what Jessica wants to know about it.
Then there's a page-long aside about how jocks look down on runners, done by sneering at other athletes, who are *far* too lacking in "grit" to be out practicing in bad weather. (Admittedly a lot of one-line paragraphs makes it faster to read than it would be otherwise.) The bit about tennis players who "call off practice if the courts are even a little wet" is the worst, but however realistic or not this tirade is (I suspect it's pretty much at the "not" end of the spectrum), I don't understand the lack of generosity in failing to admit the hard work all serious athletes have to put in. It's noticeable also that when her coach finds out about the running leg she could get, it's the team that gets involved in fund-raising (along with Jessica's crush - but he becomes a runner, so is clearly A-OK all along, but minus his then gf, who's the only one on the track team who's a poor athlete and a phony), with really nobody who's not on the team involved at all. Again, I'm not the one to be pointing the unrealistic finger at a book over US high school experience, but even in the girls' school here, which was pretty bad in many ways, it's inconceivable that the fundraising wouldn't have been a school-wide effort.
The sheer awfulness of Jessica's erstwhile rival from the well-off school is both unnecessary and - oh, yes - foreshadowed by this first thing we're told about her: "Her long nails painted deep red..." We should all have seen the nastiness coming, then, right? But of course, she goes to the other school.
#1, that rings with saccharine falseness that makes me slightly ill, and #2 how do you see another team faking "spirit"?
I read this not long after reading The Year We Fell Down, which I found quite problematic in some ways, but the protag's voice was so, so much more appealing.
And that didn't have all the one-line paragraphs.
I find those pretentious.
They're also irritating.
I bet you're irritated too now.
This is a good question, and it's one I really don't have an answer to. I want to know everything about school.
And nothing about it.
It hurts to realize how unnecessary I am. From what little I've let Fiona tell me, school life seems the same as always. Track meets happen. The same flitty people are still flitting about. The same teachers are keeping to their same routines. The same lunchtime activities and rallies and club meetings still take place.
I fell off, but the merry-go-round keeps moving.
Then there's a page-long aside about how jocks look down on runners, done by sneering at other athletes, who are *far* too lacking in "grit" to be out practicing in bad weather. (Admittedly a lot of one-line paragraphs makes it faster to read than it would be otherwise.) The bit about tennis players who "call off practice if the courts are even a little wet" is the worst, but however realistic or not this tirade is (I suspect it's pretty much at the "not" end of the spectrum), I don't understand the lack of generosity in failing to admit the hard work all serious athletes have to put in. It's noticeable also that when her coach finds out about the running leg she could get, it's the team that gets involved in fund-raising (along with Jessica's crush - but he becomes a runner, so is clearly A-OK all along, but minus his then gf, who's the only one on the track team who's a poor athlete and a phony), with really nobody who's not on the team involved at all. Again, I'm not the one to be pointing the unrealistic finger at a book over US high school experience, but even in the girls' school here, which was pretty bad in many ways, it's inconceivable that the fundraising wouldn't have been a school-wide effort.
The sheer awfulness of Jessica's erstwhile rival from the well-off school is both unnecessary and - oh, yes - foreshadowed by this first thing we're told about her: "Her long nails painted deep red..." We should all have seen the nastiness coming, then, right? But of course, she goes to the other school.
Langston's got state-of-the-art everything. From their starting blocks to their jumping standards to their landing systems and cages and hurdles and bleachers, their equipment totally puts Liberty High to shame.
It's their track, though, that has us all green with envy.
Ours is dirt.
Theirs is a Tartan track.
It's the most amazing track I've ever run on. It's clean, smooth, and fast, and it's a beautiful royal blue. Whenever I race at Langston, I imagine that I'm running across water. It's an incredible feeling.
So Langston is our big league rival, and even though they have everything our team would love to have, we have the one thing a team can't buy.
Spirit.
Maybe it's a bond formed from years of running into the wind. Maybe it's because Kyro calls us his family and expects us to treat one another that way. Maybe it's just the fight of the underdog. Whatever it is, we have it, and Langston doesn't. Oh, they act like they do, but you can feel it -- it's just a show.
#1, that rings with saccharine falseness that makes me slightly ill, and #2 how do you see another team faking "spirit"?
I read this not long after reading The Year We Fell Down, which I found quite problematic in some ways, but the protag's voice was so, so much more appealing.
And that didn't have all the one-line paragraphs.
I find those pretentious.
They're also irritating.
I bet you're irritated too now.
March 15, 2017
“Silent tears burn, then pool in my ears.
But they don’t change a thing.
I wipe my eyes and check the clock again.
4:32 a.m.
It’s my eighth day with no leg.”
What if you lost the one thing that means the most to you?
For me, as a reader, it would be terrifying if I went blind. I would lose the ability to see words with my eyes and imprint their meaning into my mind. What a scary thought. While it wouldn't be the end of the world - of course there are still audiobooks to listen to - it would be such a tragic loss.
For Jessica, losing her leg in an accident turns her whole world upside down. Because Jess is a runner. And now the one thing she lives and breathes for has been taken from her.
“My mother says I was born a runner; that I entered this world wanting to get up and go.”
This book follows Jess as she heals and learns to live with a missing leg. It fills in a lot of information I was clueless about before, like "below knee" and "above knee" amputees, prosthetics, and how people with missing limbs do things differently. Mostly, though, it focuses on Jess as she is faced with the reality that the world didn't stop when she lost her leg. Everyone went on with their lives and somehow, Jess needs to continue on with her own.
It's such a motivational story. When Jess watches an online video of Oscar Pistorius, a runner who has prosthetics on both legs, she dares to dream that she will run again. But first she needs to raise $20,000 to buy a running leg.
By the end of the book, Jess was like a different person - full of hope and determination, not the scared, depressed girl she was when she first lost her leg. It was truly an inspiring journey to experience along with her.
“Air seemed to fill my lungs again. I was heady and happy and I could feel myself—a future me—running.”
I also really loved her parents, who were devastated by Jess losing her leg, but never stopped cheering her on during her recovery. I would love to see more positive portrayals of parental roles in the YA genre, where usually parents are nonexistent or portrayed negatively.
The Running Dream was written in a simple, straightforward style that was easy to read. It was such a moving book - while I was mentally cheering Jess on, I was also feeling extremely thankful that I have all my limbs, and it helped me understand people who have lost theirs a little better.
January 27, 2014
I am not a runner. In fact, my body vehemently resists most exercise, preferring the couch, Netflix, and fistfuls of potato. So a book centered around the love of running did not seem to be my cup of tea. But this? This was pretty good. It almost, almost made me want to get up and run.
In The Running Dream, 17-year old track star Jessica has just lost her right foot. The book follows her through her frustrations, healing, and eventual ability to feel comfortable in her own skin. It's a perfectly entertaining book, and van Draanen obviously did her research. The stages of grief feel authentic. The process of healing and getting a prosthetic are precise. And the fears Evangeline suffers all feel real. Every single twist and turn of the story is seen miles away, but still. A fairly enjoyable read.
In The Running Dream, 17-year old track star Jessica has just lost her right foot. The book follows her through her frustrations, healing, and eventual ability to feel comfortable in her own skin. It's a perfectly entertaining book, and van Draanen obviously did her research. The stages of grief feel authentic. The process of healing and getting a prosthetic are precise. And the fears Evangeline suffers all feel real. Every single twist and turn of the story is seen miles away, but still. A fairly enjoyable read.
August 2, 2022
از اول تقریبا میدونیم که قراره داستان به کجا برسه اما این مسیر انقدر زیبا هست که تا ته قصه بریم ...
دوسش داشتم و برام یادآوری بود که دنیارو یه مدل دیگه نگاه کنم
دوسش داشتم و برام یادآوری بود که دنیارو یه مدل دیگه نگاه کنم
October 3, 2015
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen is undoubtedly a great book. It got me hooked right from the start. Just the synopsis alone is enough for anyone to pick the book up and immediately start reading it.
For me, the beginning of the book was the most memorable. It was when Jessica had just lost one of her legs; her worst nightmare. The horror, the pain and agony she had to deal with just to walk again was truly heartbreaking. Being a runner in her school, her legs are definitely the most important part of her body. But with the tragic accident leaving her crippled, Jessica learns to have a better appreciation of the things she has in life.
I found the plot beautiful especially when Jessica got to walk again for the first time with her new prosthetic limb. It's like watching that youtube video where the deaf lady gets to hear the world for the first time. Yeah, that emotion that emulates out is amazing.
The beginning of the plot was borderline depressing but the ending is extremely victorious. I loved the happy ending, although I had wished for further elaboration at the end. Okay, maybe I just wanted the plot not to end and I'm making excuses. But that is how I feel. So maybe I was let down a little here.
I really loved how her team, her friends and family provided support to Jessica during her tough times. How they found ways to raise funds just so that Jessica could run again and feel the breeze on her face. With the plot not only focusing on her recovery but also adding the element of high school, I do believe that that elevated this book. It's kind of like a American romantic tale which has a tragedy. That's the simplest way I can put it.
If you love a book on determination and how a girl is able to take charge of her tragedies to becoming victorious, then you should totally give this book a go!
For me, the beginning of the book was the most memorable. It was when Jessica had just lost one of her legs; her worst nightmare. The horror, the pain and agony she had to deal with just to walk again was truly heartbreaking. Being a runner in her school, her legs are definitely the most important part of her body. But with the tragic accident leaving her crippled, Jessica learns to have a better appreciation of the things she has in life.
I found the plot beautiful especially when Jessica got to walk again for the first time with her new prosthetic limb. It's like watching that youtube video where the deaf lady gets to hear the world for the first time. Yeah, that emotion that emulates out is amazing.
The beginning of the plot was borderline depressing but the ending is extremely victorious. I loved the happy ending, although I had wished for further elaboration at the end. Okay, maybe I just wanted the plot not to end and I'm making excuses. But that is how I feel. So maybe I was let down a little here.
I really loved how her team, her friends and family provided support to Jessica during her tough times. How they found ways to raise funds just so that Jessica could run again and feel the breeze on her face. With the plot not only focusing on her recovery but also adding the element of high school, I do believe that that elevated this book. It's kind of like a American romantic tale which has a tragedy. That's the simplest way I can put it.
If you love a book on determination and how a girl is able to take charge of her tragedies to becoming victorious, then you should totally give this book a go!
February 7, 2021
This book made me cry like a lunatic that's probably because I know how it is to be in Jessica's shoes. Living with a disability means that there would be times wherein people would judge your capabilities based on what their eyes can see. We (people with disabilities) will have our moments wherein we would feel bad because we are not like our peers, but let us remember that our physical limitations are never hindrance to reach for our dreams. I hope that one day, everyone will see us not for the things that we could not do but rather for who we are. When it happens, we could live in a place where everyone would feel welcome because nobody is left behind.
August 20, 2021
چقدر بعضی از کتاب های نوجوان ها عالیست
مسایل و مشکلاتی که مطرح می کنه و در موردشون حرف میزنه
مسایل و مشکلاتی که مطرح می کنه و در موردشون حرف میزنه
September 4, 2019
Jessica loves to run. She runs competitively for her school, and she runs because she loves it. When the bus that the track team is on is hit by a truck, a girl is killed and Jessica, well, Jessica loses a leg. Having a limb amputated is unbelievably hard for anyone to deal with, but when your life is running it's even worse. Jessica has to deal with caring for her stump and learning how to use a prosthesis, with stares and comments, and mostly with losing the ability to be who she is—a runner.
The track coach decides that he and the team are going to raise money for Jessica to get a running prosthesis—a cyborg looking piece of curved metal that people have—people who don't just run on them but who can now compete against the best in the world.
This book is absolutely wonderful. The characters of Jessica and her best friend are extremely well done, and very realistic teenage girls. The descriptions of Jessica's experiences with her stump and learning to take care of herself, learning to walk and to deal with the stares are excellent.
One of the best things about the book is that the main character Jessica is NOT a trope--she is not the bravely smiling heroine that we pity and patronize. I mean, she IS brave, but she is real. This could be a girl at any high school.
Heartwarming and simply a winner! I would recommend this to anyone who likes the "overcoming adversity" stories, but also just plain ANYONE who loves a good YA book!
The track coach decides that he and the team are going to raise money for Jessica to get a running prosthesis—a cyborg looking piece of curved metal that people have—people who don't just run on them but who can now compete against the best in the world.
This book is absolutely wonderful. The characters of Jessica and her best friend are extremely well done, and very realistic teenage girls. The descriptions of Jessica's experiences with her stump and learning to take care of herself, learning to walk and to deal with the stares are excellent.
One of the best things about the book is that the main character Jessica is NOT a trope--she is not the bravely smiling heroine that we pity and patronize. I mean, she IS brave, but she is real. This could be a girl at any high school.
Heartwarming and simply a winner! I would recommend this to anyone who likes the "overcoming adversity" stories, but also just plain ANYONE who loves a good YA book!
July 14, 2014
I'm torn about how I feel about this book. For what it aspires to be, its quite good. But I wanted more from it. The story is decently told and moves along nicely. The characters are stock, but there's enough depth there to tug on the heartstrings at a couple of points. For basic background, this is the story of a high school track star who loses her right leg in a bus accident.
There are several aspects of the book that are quite good. First, there is a strong and clear sense of what its like to be a runner: the challenge, the pain, and the potential for euphoria. It's quite clear that both the narrator and the author love and understand running. Second, the main character and her friends feel genuine to me. They are stock characters, but while they are thin, they don't feel false. And through the course of the book, I actually came to have a kind of affection for the narrator.
Also, the book is written in what feels like a distinctive voice. At first, I was dismayed because the narration is in the first person present. This always bothers me, but here it was less bothersome than usual. I have a hard time understanding why this fad has become so pervasive. It's supposed to make things more genuine, but for me it always feels more artificial. Anyway, I quickly got over it, and then got taken in by the rhythm of the narration. The sentences tend to be short and staccato.
And there tends to be one sentence per paragraph.
Sometimes just a phrase.
Maybe less.
For a while I thought this was a deliberate choice by the author. And then, a high school newspaper story appeared in the book. And guess what? It's author wrote in exactly the same style. I was a little disappointed.
Then, there is the question of the lack of depth of almost all the auxiliary characters. The mother worries. The father remains distant and silently toils. The best friend shows support and concern. Every character is pretty much one dimensional. Then it occurred to me that perhaps they were one dimensional because that's as deep as the narrator was capable of looking into them. There are some hints that there's more to these people than the narrator appreciates. So I started looking for more suggestions of unreliability in the narrator, and maybe they were there, or maybe I was simply projecting, trying to make the book better than it actually is. I'm still not sure about this, but either the narrator is fairly dense and totally self-absorbed, but still basically a nice girl, or the book and its characters lack any depth at all.
My other problem is with the story structure. It seems like recovering from a leg amputation would present lots of obstacles. But, other than getting over her initial bad attitude, the narrator doesn't struggle much at all. There are basically no set-backs in the book. And, since everything comes so easy for her, it ends up that the narrator and hero is largely passive. For the most part, she doesn't do much of anything, and other people tend to do stuff for her. This kind of passivity feels realistic, but it also tends to be dull.
There was a really good scene toward the beginning of the book where she has to figure out how to get up the stairs and into a shower/bathtub on her own. This presented a goal, positive action on her part, some legitimate obstacles to that action, and the use of ingenuity to overcome the obstacles. Unfortunately, for the rest of the book, people mostly decided to do something and then did it, and little or nothing ever stood in their way. For example, she is warned at one point to be careful about overusing her new leg, because hot spots can cause a serious set back. So, she never overuses her leg and doesn't have to deal with hot spots. That's sensible, but doesn't make for very interesting or dramatic writing.
On the other hand, once the story is over, and we get to the third act, the writer spins the book in a slightly new direction and things pick up very nicely. This act involves the narrator trying to do something special for a new friend, a girl with cerebral palsy who had helped her catch up in math. The ending is warm and touching. It was a little heavy handed in the message/moral department, but I guess that's standard for these "uplifting" YA books that win book awards. Even though the manipulation here was more than obvious, I found myself liking it.
Most of my issues with this book stem from it almost being really good. I'm happy that I read it, and it was a fairly charming and easy read.
There are several aspects of the book that are quite good. First, there is a strong and clear sense of what its like to be a runner: the challenge, the pain, and the potential for euphoria. It's quite clear that both the narrator and the author love and understand running. Second, the main character and her friends feel genuine to me. They are stock characters, but while they are thin, they don't feel false. And through the course of the book, I actually came to have a kind of affection for the narrator.
Also, the book is written in what feels like a distinctive voice. At first, I was dismayed because the narration is in the first person present. This always bothers me, but here it was less bothersome than usual. I have a hard time understanding why this fad has become so pervasive. It's supposed to make things more genuine, but for me it always feels more artificial. Anyway, I quickly got over it, and then got taken in by the rhythm of the narration. The sentences tend to be short and staccato.
And there tends to be one sentence per paragraph.
Sometimes just a phrase.
Maybe less.
For a while I thought this was a deliberate choice by the author. And then, a high school newspaper story appeared in the book. And guess what? It's author wrote in exactly the same style. I was a little disappointed.
Then, there is the question of the lack of depth of almost all the auxiliary characters. The mother worries. The father remains distant and silently toils. The best friend shows support and concern. Every character is pretty much one dimensional. Then it occurred to me that perhaps they were one dimensional because that's as deep as the narrator was capable of looking into them. There are some hints that there's more to these people than the narrator appreciates. So I started looking for more suggestions of unreliability in the narrator, and maybe they were there, or maybe I was simply projecting, trying to make the book better than it actually is. I'm still not sure about this, but either the narrator is fairly dense and totally self-absorbed, but still basically a nice girl, or the book and its characters lack any depth at all.
My other problem is with the story structure. It seems like recovering from a leg amputation would present lots of obstacles. But, other than getting over her initial bad attitude, the narrator doesn't struggle much at all. There are basically no set-backs in the book. And, since everything comes so easy for her, it ends up that the narrator and hero is largely passive. For the most part, she doesn't do much of anything, and other people tend to do stuff for her. This kind of passivity feels realistic, but it also tends to be dull.
There was a really good scene toward the beginning of the book where she has to figure out how to get up the stairs and into a shower/bathtub on her own. This presented a goal, positive action on her part, some legitimate obstacles to that action, and the use of ingenuity to overcome the obstacles. Unfortunately, for the rest of the book, people mostly decided to do something and then did it, and little or nothing ever stood in their way. For example, she is warned at one point to be careful about overusing her new leg, because hot spots can cause a serious set back. So, she never overuses her leg and doesn't have to deal with hot spots. That's sensible, but doesn't make for very interesting or dramatic writing.
On the other hand, once the story is over, and we get to the third act, the writer spins the book in a slightly new direction and things pick up very nicely. This act involves the narrator trying to do something special for a new friend, a girl with cerebral palsy who had helped her catch up in math. The ending is warm and touching. It was a little heavy handed in the message/moral department, but I guess that's standard for these "uplifting" YA books that win book awards. Even though the manipulation here was more than obvious, I found myself liking it.
Most of my issues with this book stem from it almost being really good. I'm happy that I read it, and it was a fairly charming and easy read.
May 3, 2017
Một tác phẩm nhẹ nhàng, đơn giản nhưng đầy lạc quan và có tác dụng khích lệ tinh thần khá tốt.
Nhân vật chính là Jessica - cô gái trung học xem điền kinh là một phần không thể thiếu trong cuộc sống và được chạy cũng quan trọng như việc hít thở. Tuy nhiên để tăng phần kịch tính cho cuộc đời Jess, số phận tạo nên một tai nạn thảm khốc khiến bạn cô mất mạng trong khi chính bản thân cô may mắn hơn nên chỉ mất đi một chân.
Nội dung tiếp theo hẳn ai cũng dễ dàng đoán được. Ban đầu là sự đau đớn, sợ hãi và muốn buông xuôi của Jess, sau đó nhờ vào ý chí của bản thân, lòng dũng cảm lạc quan và sự yêu thương, hỗ trợ của những người xung quanh...Jess dần tìm lại được nụ cười, tìm lại được ý nghĩa thật sự của tình thân, tình thầy trò, tình bạn và cả tình yêu. Quan trọng hơn hết Jess đã tìm lại được những bước chạy của m��nh trên đường đua - đường đua với số phận theo nghĩa bóng và cả đường đua tính giờ theo nghĩa đen.
Cuốn sách này được rate 4.3* - một con số khá cao. Tôi không phủ nhận sự tích cực và hiệu ứng lạc quan mà cuốn sách này mang lại cho người đọc. Tuy nhiên khi bản thân là một người khắt khe và thực tế, tôi cảm thấy dù sao đi nữa Jess cũng là một người rất rất rất may mắn sau tai nạn: cô có một gia đình luôn yêu thương và thấu hiểu, một cô bạn thân Fiona luôn kề vai sát cánh, một Gevin đến với cô như bạch mã hoàng tử, một bác sĩ Hank tốt bụng, một thầy Kyro luôn cố gắng giúp Jess trở lại đường đua và một Rosa đến với Jess như một thiên sứ...Tất cả những điều này đối với mọi người có thể đem lại hiệu ứng ấm áp lạc quan nhưng với tôi nó hơi "màu hồng hóa" - vì thực tế may mắn được như Jess trong cuộc sống này không nhiều.
Ôi, có lẽ tôi vừa dùng con mắt của một đứa cuồng truyện trinh thám giết chóc để review cuốn sách này rồi, hic (°~°)
Nhân vật chính là Jessica - cô gái trung học xem điền kinh là một phần không thể thiếu trong cuộc sống và được chạy cũng quan trọng như việc hít thở. Tuy nhiên để tăng phần kịch tính cho cuộc đời Jess, số phận tạo nên một tai nạn thảm khốc khiến bạn cô mất mạng trong khi chính bản thân cô may mắn hơn nên chỉ mất đi một chân.
Nội dung tiếp theo hẳn ai cũng dễ dàng đoán được. Ban đầu là sự đau đớn, sợ hãi và muốn buông xuôi của Jess, sau đó nhờ vào ý chí của bản thân, lòng dũng cảm lạc quan và sự yêu thương, hỗ trợ của những người xung quanh...Jess dần tìm lại được nụ cười, tìm lại được ý nghĩa thật sự của tình thân, tình thầy trò, tình bạn và cả tình yêu. Quan trọng hơn hết Jess đã tìm lại được những bước chạy của m��nh trên đường đua - đường đua với số phận theo nghĩa bóng và cả đường đua tính giờ theo nghĩa đen.
Cuốn sách này được rate 4.3* - một con số khá cao. Tôi không phủ nhận sự tích cực và hiệu ứng lạc quan mà cuốn sách này mang lại cho người đọc. Tuy nhiên khi bản thân là một người khắt khe và thực tế, tôi cảm thấy dù sao đi nữa Jess cũng là một người rất rất rất may mắn sau tai nạn: cô có một gia đình luôn yêu thương và thấu hiểu, một cô bạn thân Fiona luôn kề vai sát cánh, một Gevin đến với cô như bạch mã hoàng tử, một bác sĩ Hank tốt bụng, một thầy Kyro luôn cố gắng giúp Jess trở lại đường đua và một Rosa đến với Jess như một thiên sứ...Tất cả những điều này đối với mọi người có thể đem lại hiệu ứng ấm áp lạc quan nhưng với tôi nó hơi "màu hồng hóa" - vì thực tế may mắn được như Jess trong cuộc sống này không nhiều.
Ôi, có lẽ tôi vừa dùng con mắt của một đứa cuồng truyện trinh thám giết chóc để review cuốn sách này rồi, hic (°~°)
July 6, 2018
What a delightful read “The Running Dream” turned out to be! It’s a YA contemporary novel about a high school runner, Jessica, involved in an accident that results in one of her teammates dying and her own leg being removed. There were realistic yet best scenario views of hardships and victories an amputee would face both mentally and physically. The addition of Rosa, a girl with Cerebral Palsy, was wonderful as it helped put things into perspective for Jessica and drew my attention in more.
Admittedly, my original idea of what this book would be didn’t turn out to be an exact match. The description lead me to believe that the “girl who could see right into her [Jessica’s] heart” would lead to a girl-on-girl romance, which I was totally down for since I started reading this book during Pride Month. This didn’t happen but I wasn’t disappointed with how the story turned out. The love interest was a very worthy guy, so the pairing made me very happy. Still it would have been nice had the author written a bit more about a friendship developed more between Jessica and Chloe, the fellow amputee she met, as it would have been nice to see how reaching out to those who know what you’re going through medically and emotionally can help a person.
I love the overall theme of how people with disabilities want to be seen as people and not their disabilities. As someone with a disability myself, although not the exact ones mentioned in this book, I find this to be very true. I’m happy to rate this book between 4 to 4.25.
Admittedly, my original idea of what this book would be didn’t turn out to be an exact match. The description lead me to believe that the “girl who could see right into her [Jessica’s] heart” would lead to a girl-on-girl romance, which I was totally down for since I started reading this book during Pride Month. This didn’t happen but I wasn’t disappointed with how the story turned out. The love interest was a very worthy guy, so the pairing made me very happy. Still it would have been nice had the author written a bit more about a friendship developed more between Jessica and Chloe, the fellow amputee she met, as it would have been nice to see how reaching out to those who know what you’re going through medically and emotionally can help a person.
I love the overall theme of how people with disabilities want to be seen as people and not their disabilities. As someone with a disability myself, although not the exact ones mentioned in this book, I find this to be very true. I’m happy to rate this book between 4 to 4.25.
March 28, 2023
کتاب شروع فوقالعادهای داشت. دختر نوجوانی با یک پای قطعشده در بیمارستان؛ دختری که قبلاً دونده بوده. تا جایی که داستان از بیمارستان نقل میشد، همچنان عالی بود. خصوصاً رؤیاهای دویدن دختر و توصیفش از درد گرفتن عضو قطعشده. بعد که قهرمان داستان از بیمارستان مرخص شد و یواشیواش داشت به زندگی برمیگشت، باز هم لحظات و دیالوگهای جالبی گفته میشد که برای من خواننده لذتبخش باشه، اما کمکم رفت به سمت شعارهای مثبتاندیشانه و انگیزشی. متوجهم که کتاب برای مخاطب نوجوان نوشته شده و فکر میکنم حتی فصول ابتدایی برای اون سنین بیش از حد تلخن و میطلبه که مسیر داستان به جاهای شادتری بره. اما منِ غیر نوجوان اون غم و تلخی واقعگرایانۀ اولش رو دوست داشتم، نه افتخارآفرینی و بهاصطلاح موفقیتها رو.
December 24, 2023
This book has been sitting on my tbr for the longest time so happy I finally picked it up especially early cross country season it really puts into perspective the things we take for granted and also how a bump in the road big or small doesn't determine how the rest of our life goes and how our perspective about bad situations can really change how we feel for either our whole lives or a part of our lives.
November 14, 2022
Freaking love this book. And quite honestly, it beats Six of Crows in my top 5 favorite books. Full review to come!
December 13, 2015
The Running Dream wasn’t just a book that you would read any day and put it down afterwards. After I finished reading this book, it made me think more and deeper about the situation.
Jessica, the star runner on her track team, loses a leg in a car crash. She struggles to walk or even hobble to places. This completely frustrates and agers her. She just keeps on asking herself, “Why did it have to be me?!” Eventually, the track team saves up enough money to generously buy Jessica a new prosthetic running leg. Jessica runs, not as fast as she used to, but she is still able to run for the track team. Then she has this crazy idea to physically push a girl she met in a wheelchair, in a 5k race. Will she do it?
After I read this book, it changed my thinking about disabled people. I used to think that disabled people wouldn’t be so… enthusiastic about a subject that they would have done before without being disabled. Jessica just proved that anyone with any disability can have just as much enthusiasm as someone without a disability.
There is a quote in the book that Jessica says, “I realize something. That wasn’t a finish line for me… This is a new starting line.” When I read this in the book, I just stopped and thought about it a little. Jessica completely turned losing her leg, into a positive. It would be really hard to make losing a limb into almost a positive, especially when you lose a leg and you are a runner.
This book was great because not only did the runner lose a leg and get one back, but also has this idea to (with her prosthetic), push a girl in a wheelchair in a 5k race. Jessica wants to do more than expected. The expectation is that she heals, recovers, wins a race or two. Now she wants to make the dreams of someone else come true too.
Jessica, the star runner on her track team, loses a leg in a car crash. She struggles to walk or even hobble to places. This completely frustrates and agers her. She just keeps on asking herself, “Why did it have to be me?!” Eventually, the track team saves up enough money to generously buy Jessica a new prosthetic running leg. Jessica runs, not as fast as she used to, but she is still able to run for the track team. Then she has this crazy idea to physically push a girl she met in a wheelchair, in a 5k race. Will she do it?
After I read this book, it changed my thinking about disabled people. I used to think that disabled people wouldn’t be so… enthusiastic about a subject that they would have done before without being disabled. Jessica just proved that anyone with any disability can have just as much enthusiasm as someone without a disability.
There is a quote in the book that Jessica says, “I realize something. That wasn’t a finish line for me… This is a new starting line.” When I read this in the book, I just stopped and thought about it a little. Jessica completely turned losing her leg, into a positive. It would be really hard to make losing a limb into almost a positive, especially when you lose a leg and you are a runner.
This book was great because not only did the runner lose a leg and get one back, but also has this idea to (with her prosthetic), push a girl in a wheelchair in a 5k race. Jessica wants to do more than expected. The expectation is that she heals, recovers, wins a race or two. Now she wants to make the dreams of someone else come true too.
March 27, 2021
خیلی معمولی. شاید هم من انتظاراتم ازش بیشتر بود و اینطوری خورد توی ذوقم. ولی خب شخصیت رزا رو دوست داشتم و منو یاد یکی از دوستام می انداخت.
داستان درباره ی جسیکاست. دونده ای که توی تصادف پای راستش رو از دست می ده. رویای اون دویدنه و شاید در نگاه اول به نظر یه رویای پوچ برسه، ولی جسیکا تصمیم می گیره ناامید نشه و خب فکر کنم بتونید حدس بزنید آخرش چی می شه. :دی
"مردم درک نمی کنند که چرا ما باید بدویم. به نظرشان احمقانه می آید، چون فکر می کنند توی این مسابقه فقط باید دور زمین چرخ زد. مسئله خنده دار در مورد دویدن همین است؛ همین هم فریبنده اش می کند. شاید به نظر احمقانه بیاید ولی بیشترش ذهنی ست. اگر ذهنت قوی نباشد، بدن حتی اگر ضعیف هم نباشد، کم می آورد. اگر ذهن بگوید برای دویدن هوا خیلی سرد یا باد و باران است، بدن خیلی راحت می پذیرد. اگر ذهن فرمان بدهد که بهتر است استراحت یا تجدید قول کنی یا تمرین نروی، بدن با کمال میل می پذیرد."
داستان درباره ی جسیکاست. دونده ای که توی تصادف پای راستش رو از دست می ده. رویای اون دویدنه و شاید در نگاه اول به نظر یه رویای پوچ برسه، ولی جسیکا تصمیم می گیره ناامید نشه و خب فکر کنم بتونید حدس بزنید آخرش چی می شه. :دی
"مردم درک نمی کنند که چرا ما باید بدویم. به نظرشان احمقانه می آید، چون فکر می کنند توی این مسابقه فقط باید دور زمین چرخ زد. مسئله خنده دار در مورد دویدن همین است؛ همین هم فریبنده اش می کند. شاید به نظر احمقانه بیاید ولی بیشترش ذهنی ست. اگر ذهنت قوی نباشد، بدن حتی اگر ضعیف هم نباشد، کم می آورد. اگر ذهن بگوید برای دویدن هوا خیلی سرد یا باد و باران است، بدن خیلی راحت می پذیرد. اگر ذهن فرمان بدهد که بهتر است استراحت یا تجدید قول کنی یا تمرین نروی، بدن با کمال میل می پذیرد."
February 4, 2017
I loved this book! It actually correlated with my leg injury and how I have to make it through each day step by step. My leg injury was nothing though compared to losing a foot, such as this girl did. This book describes the problems she faced on her way to recovery and how she overcame more obstacles. Her dream: to run again. Will her dream come true? Guess you have to read it to find out. I thought the author did amazing job writing this book and I wouldn't have changed anything about it. This was very realistic and I think that a lot of people would enjoy this book as much as I did. :)
June 22, 2017
"Fascinating , educational , and extremely emotional journey"
October 8, 2019
3,5/5
Không phải là một câu truyện quá xuất sắc thế nhưng Đường đua của những giấc mơ thực sự đã mang lại được tinh thần lạc quan và giúp tôi tiếp nhận mọi chuyện xảy ra dễ dàng hơn. Truyện này giúp tôi cảm thấy vui vẻ hơn, thư thái và nhẹ nhõm hơn rất nhiều. Nhiều tối đi làm về, lại phải viết bài, chỉnh ảnh, tối ngày chạy cho kịp hạn chót khiến tôi thực sự mệt mỏi và thèm được đọc vài trang của cuốn truyện. Không phải kiểu nghiện như nghiện chất kích thích, trà sữa quá đâu, mà là kiểu thèm đồ ngọt, thèm sự ngọt ngào ấy, kiểu nhẹ nhàng, mang mác ấy.
Tóm lại là tôi thực sự muốn giới thiệu quen này cho những bạn đang cần sự giải toả, cần động lực và những niềm vui nhẹ nhàng, đơn giản.
Có lẽ vì tác giả muốn tập trung vào những mặt tích cực, những điều đáng yêu mà trong cuốn sách này tất cả mọi nhân vật, mọi chuyện xảy ra đều mang hơi hướng tươi đẹp hoá, hồng hoá mọi chuyện. Mọi người ai cũng tốt, luôn động viên, quan tâm đến nữ chính. Những khó khăn, mặt tối tâm lý, cảm xúc của các nhân vật cũng không được đào sâu, mà tác giả chỉ lướt qua mà thôi. Dù sao thì cũng không thể đòi hỏi quá nhiều ở cuốn sách này được, truyện đã làm rất tốt công việc của mình rồi.
Nếu vài tháng nữa có ai đó hỏi tôi về nội dung và cảm nghĩ chi tiết về các nhân vật chính thì tôi chắc tôi sẽ chẳng thể nói được gì hết, không có nhân vật nào để lại ấn tượng đặc biệt sâu sắc. Thế nhưng những điều tích cực mà câu truyện đem đến cho tôi thì nhất định tôi sẽ ghi nhớ.
Không phải là một câu truyện quá xuất sắc thế nhưng Đường đua của những giấc mơ thực sự đã mang lại được tinh thần lạc quan và giúp tôi tiếp nhận mọi chuyện xảy ra dễ dàng hơn. Truyện này giúp tôi cảm thấy vui vẻ hơn, thư thái và nhẹ nhõm hơn rất nhiều. Nhiều tối đi làm về, lại phải viết bài, chỉnh ảnh, tối ngày chạy cho kịp hạn chót khiến tôi thực sự mệt mỏi và thèm được đọc vài trang của cuốn truyện. Không phải kiểu nghiện như nghiện chất kích thích, trà sữa quá đâu, mà là kiểu thèm đồ ngọt, thèm sự ngọt ngào ấy, kiểu nhẹ nhàng, mang mác ấy.
Tóm lại là tôi thực sự muốn giới thiệu quen này cho những bạn đang cần sự giải toả, cần động lực và những niềm vui nhẹ nhàng, đơn giản.
Có lẽ vì tác giả muốn tập trung vào những mặt tích cực, những điều đáng yêu mà trong cuốn sách này tất cả mọi nhân vật, mọi chuyện xảy ra đều mang hơi hướng tươi đẹp hoá, hồng hoá mọi chuyện. Mọi người ai cũng tốt, luôn động viên, quan tâm đến nữ chính. Những khó khăn, mặt tối tâm lý, cảm xúc của các nhân vật cũng không được đào sâu, mà tác giả chỉ lướt qua mà thôi. Dù sao thì cũng không thể đòi hỏi quá nhiều ở cuốn sách này được, truyện đã làm rất tốt công việc của mình rồi.
Nếu vài tháng nữa có ai đó hỏi tôi về nội dung và cảm nghĩ chi tiết về các nhân vật chính thì tôi chắc tôi sẽ chẳng thể nói được gì hết, không có nhân vật nào để lại ấn tượng đặc biệt sâu sắc. Thế nhưng những điều tích cực mà câu truyện đem đến cho tôi thì nhất định tôi sẽ ghi nhớ.
May 31, 2018
This book makes me appreciate more what God has given me, especially of course my two feet. Really enjoy the story telling as well as the characters. So great. The information about running and the athletes with disability got me check on YouTube to find out about it.
August 23, 2017
I actually enjoyed this one. I loved Jessica's attitude despite everything that happened to her. This wasn't a 300+ page pity party. Yes there were times when she started to fall into that rabbit hole but she always quickly shook it off and kept going. Jess was strong and inspirational and I loved it.
October 12, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. And not just because it's all about a high school track star (confession: I ran varsity track and cross country all through high school so all the nerdy running stuff? Yeah, I get it).
First of all, it's clean. No profanity, no sex, no drinking and/or drug use. None of the content that makes contemporary YA edgy these days. And it's a breath of fresh air because you know what? I didn't miss any of that stuff one bit.
That's not to say Van Draanen shied away from dealing with difficult subjects because she didn't. Jessica's struggle to adapt to life without a limb/with a prosthesis felt very real as did the difficulties her parents' faced trying to pay her hospital bills. And I love the way Van Draanen uses Jessica's growing friendship with Rosa to show that everyone deserves to be seen, no matter their abilities.
What I loved about this book more than anything, is how hopeful it made me feel. The characters in this book did nice things for others because they genuinely cared for them. And you know what? I love that. We live in a society where it seems like no one has anything nice to say about anyone anymore. The criticism and the negativity that is so rampant on social media today is overwhelming. But this book? This book is inspiring. Even when things are at their worst, it's still easy to root for Jessica because she is a genuinely likeable character. Of course, there's conflict. Of course, there are a few unpleasant characters. But Van Draanen doesn't let negativity dominate the story, and for that I'm thankful.
If we, as a society, need the harsh, gritty stories to keep us grounded, we need stories like The Running Dream even more because they give us hope. And hope, ladies and gentlemen, is what gets us out of bed in the morning.
First of all, it's clean. No profanity, no sex, no drinking and/or drug use. None of the content that makes contemporary YA edgy these days. And it's a breath of fresh air because you know what? I didn't miss any of that stuff one bit.
That's not to say Van Draanen shied away from dealing with difficult subjects because she didn't. Jessica's struggle to adapt to life without a limb/with a prosthesis felt very real as did the difficulties her parents' faced trying to pay her hospital bills. And I love the way Van Draanen uses Jessica's growing friendship with Rosa to show that everyone deserves to be seen, no matter their abilities.
What I loved about this book more than anything, is how hopeful it made me feel. The characters in this book did nice things for others because they genuinely cared for them. And you know what? I love that. We live in a society where it seems like no one has anything nice to say about anyone anymore. The criticism and the negativity that is so rampant on social media today is overwhelming. But this book? This book is inspiring. Even when things are at their worst, it's still easy to root for Jessica because she is a genuinely likeable character. Of course, there's conflict. Of course, there are a few unpleasant characters. But Van Draanen doesn't let negativity dominate the story, and for that I'm thankful.
If we, as a society, need the harsh, gritty stories to keep us grounded, we need stories like The Running Dream even more because they give us hope. And hope, ladies and gentlemen, is what gets us out of bed in the morning.
November 27, 2021
How have I gone my long 14 years of life without this book?! It is hands down the most inspiring (and well-written) book I have ever read. It totally made me appreciate everything I have and now I’m like totally confident in myself. This book also made me want to run and I literally HATE running. None of the characters were bland and the development was AMAZING! I cannot recommend this book highly enough. There are not enough stars on this earth that I could rate this book with.
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