Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
4th out of 26 books
—
29 voters
The Running Dream
Winner of the 2012 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...more
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...more
Hardcover, 332 pages
Published
January 11th 2011
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
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...more
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 Evangeline 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 perfect...more
In The Running Dream, 17-year old track star Evangeline 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 perfect...more
Wendelin Van Draanen is one of my favorite young adult authors. Her development of Sammy Keyes and her story lines have been humorous, clever and talented. And I'm sure that numerous readers have been entertained by Sammy.
The Running Dream is also a good story, but not because of the above mentioned characteristics. It's good because the author helps us feel empathy for the character and her situation. But, this is not a tale told in a particularly unique way, nor does the author take particula...more
The Running Dream is also a good story, but not because of the above mentioned characteristics. It's good because the author helps us feel empathy for the character and her situation. But, this is not a tale told in a particularly unique way, nor does the author take particula...more
At first glance, The Running Dream doesn't seem like much. Just another one of those hart-warming stories or whatnot. But they didn't seem to think that way on Goodreads. Every review I had read gave this book a 5 stars, and an infinite amount of praises. So, setting my low expectations aside, I went into the book with fresher, better viewpoint. And higher expectations. Needless to say, I wish I had kept those low expectations, because I wasn't all that impressed by this book...
Jessica wasn't a...more
Jessica wasn't a...more
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 les...more
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 les...more
like becca so very perfectly encapsulated, this book's 'very... vanilla. Very squeaky clean.'
couldn't have put it better meself. in a lot of ways it reminds me of Wonder, with the plot revolving around a disabled teen/tween tryna get his/her shizz together, and the book being a neatly-packaged message on the power of kindness and/or determination. i guess i prefer my contemps to be a little more...realistic, as in, a lot more dark and gut-wrenching and thus life-like.
couldn't have put it better meself. in a lot of ways it reminds me of Wonder, with the plot revolving around a disabled teen/tween tryna get his/her shizz together, and the book being a neatly-packaged message on the power of kindness and/or determination. i guess i prefer my contemps to be a little more...realistic, as in, a lot more dark and gut-wrenching and thus life-like.
Feb 05, 2012
Linda Dexheimer
added it
This book is a great feel-good read for just about anyone but especially for teenagers. It's a contemporary realistic fiction that readers can relate to easily. The first couple of chapters can be frustrating for an adult to read because the character, Jessica, is rather whiny and obstinate but as the story progresses she pulls you in. Despite being tedious in the beginning, I found myself wondering what Jessica was going to do next and how she was going to handle different situations. Jessica i...more
The Running dream is a fantastic book, I loved it! Being a runner myself it seemed like a book that I would enjoy and I was right. The author, Wendelin Van Draanen, is a great author as far as I can tell. I did some research on her and found that she has an on going blog. This blog, she says, is to encourage readers and writers as part of a campaign to improve literacy and fitness in children / young people. As I was searching through her blog I found that this book won Schneider award for the p...more
Jessica is a runner. A track star. She lives to run. Then an uninsured truck plows into the side of the school bus the track team is traveling on and Jessica loses her right leg. Her running dream is over. Maybe. At least as far as she is concerned it is. Thankfully, Jessica's best friend sticks by her side and pushes her to her limits. Her track coach shows her video of amputees who can and do run. Her team decides to raise the $20,000 it will cost for a special running leg. And then there is R...more
This was the kind of book to really make you appreciate your life! Jessica wakes up in the hospital after a bus crash to discover that she's a BK (below knee) amputee. It's not until days later when her best friend, Fiona, visits her that she finds out another girl from the track team was killed in the accident. But Jessica can't get past the fact that for her, the pain and fight of daily life is still staring her in the face.
The story focuses on how Jessica slowly regains her hope, thanks in l...more
The story focuses on how Jessica slowly regains her hope, thanks in l...more
After Jessica Carlisle losses the bottom half of her right leg in a tragic bus accident, she finds herself in a dark place. She is depressed, hopeless, and bitter. Jessica’s passion is running; something you need two legs for. However, with the support of her friends, family, coaches, and teammates, she realizes that with hard work she could potentially run again. Her track team helps to raise money to buy Jessica a prosthetic running leg.
This was an incredibly inspirational story. The format...more
This was an incredibly inspirational story. The format...more
For numerous reasons (most involving weird and unfortunate injuries), I am not a jock. I am, however, in awe of people who are because it seems like an awful lot of work, usually taking place too early in the morning or in the afternoon when I'm already exhausted from the rest of the day. Then there's competition and all the work that entails. But what happens when that hard work looks like it was a waste? Or if it has to come to an end completely? In Wendelin van Draanen's book "The Running Dre...more
Mar 13, 2013
Sarah
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
*Track Stars* :) and probably everyone!
Shelves:
favs
This book is probably in my top ten of favorite books right now.
Scratch that.
top five.
Four.
Three.
i loved this book more than a plate of frozen chocolate chip cookies.
and THAT is saying something.
Of course, when i see a book that has ANYTHING to do with running (and of course, Wendelin Van Draanen.) i'm definitely going to read it!
ORIGINALLY, i went to the library to find Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception, (you can see how well THAT went..) but i found this. I didn't have high expectations for...more
Scratch that.
top five.
Four.
Three.
i loved this book more than a plate of frozen chocolate chip cookies.
and THAT is saying something.
Of course, when i see a book that has ANYTHING to do with running (and of course, Wendelin Van Draanen.) i'm definitely going to read it!
ORIGINALLY, i went to the library to find Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception, (you can see how well THAT went..) but i found this. I didn't have high expectations for...more
I’m still teary-eyed from reading this amazing book. Wendelin Van Draanen had definitely made the roster of one of my favorite authors. I read it because a student came up to me yesterday during homeroom (reading time) and plopped it down on my desk. He looked me in the eyes and said, “Mrs. Gifford, I hate to admit it, but this is the best book I’ve ever read.” He was slightly abashed to admit he loved a book that was about a...GIRL! Since he’s also in my Gifted and Talented writing class, he ha...more
Although this is a young adult novel, I think adults will like it as well. Van Draanen paints an easy to read picture of a teen facing loss. I think the themes and symbolism of Jessica's journey can benefit everyone.
I liked seeing Jessica's growth throughout the novel. I liked how she acknowleged the negative weeds in her garden of self esteem. I loved the themes of true friends and new friends, and seeing people for who they are - not just their "condition". I also loved that Jessica worked th...more
I liked seeing Jessica's growth throughout the novel. I liked how she acknowleged the negative weeds in her garden of self esteem. I loved the themes of true friends and new friends, and seeing people for who they are - not just their "condition". I also loved that Jessica worked th...more
THEME
Jessica (the main character) lives a life of running until she gets into a car accident that makes her lose the lower half of one of her legs.I think that "don't give up and pursue your dreams no mater how hard or how many obstacles get in your way" is the theme of this book because she goes through a lot of pain, frustration and misunderstanding before she reaches her goal. Not only that she also helps her friend Rosa who has cerebral palsy (and math genius who helped her get through Ms. R...more
Jessica (the main character) lives a life of running until she gets into a car accident that makes her lose the lower half of one of her legs.I think that "don't give up and pursue your dreams no mater how hard or how many obstacles get in your way" is the theme of this book because she goes through a lot of pain, frustration and misunderstanding before she reaches her goal. Not only that she also helps her friend Rosa who has cerebral palsy (and math genius who helped her get through Ms. R...more
This is a lovely book about perseverance and recognizing that everyone is struggling with something. Jessica loses her leg, below the knee, in an accident, when a vehicle runs into the bus that she is traveling on with her track team. The loss of a limb is devastating but knowing that she can't run really hurts Jessica. During the course of the book Jessica learns that she has the ability to both walk AND run again through the technology of prosthesis. As she retrains her body to adjust to her n...more
Title: The Running Dream
Author: Wendelin Van Draanen
Pages: 332
The main character of this book is Jessica. She is sixteen years old and her passion is to run. That is what she lives for. When she gets in a severe accident, she loses one of her legs. She is devastated. At first she has doubts that she will never be able to walk again or even worse, run. However, her doctor told her and her family she will be getting a prosthetic limb so that she can walk. Jessica wasn't sure about all of this. It...more
Author: Wendelin Van Draanen
Pages: 332
The main character of this book is Jessica. She is sixteen years old and her passion is to run. That is what she lives for. When she gets in a severe accident, she loses one of her legs. She is devastated. At first she has doubts that she will never be able to walk again or even worse, run. However, her doctor told her and her family she will be getting a prosthetic limb so that she can walk. Jessica wasn't sure about all of this. It...more
I picked this book up on a whim at the Book Fair, and within a week or so, it had already passed through the hands of three of my students. All of them had rave reviews.
Jessica, a runner, loses her leg in a bus accident. The story arc watches her come to grips with her loss and recognize hope in her year-long journey of healing. In the process, she meets a friend, Rosa, who changes her outlook and challenges her goals. The book is told in 5 parts, in the reverse order of the race (a clever and w...more
Jessica, a runner, loses her leg in a bus accident. The story arc watches her come to grips with her loss and recognize hope in her year-long journey of healing. In the process, she meets a friend, Rosa, who changes her outlook and challenges her goals. The book is told in 5 parts, in the reverse order of the race (a clever and w...more
Jessica was a star track athlete with everything going for her. Then there was an bus accident when they were coming back from a meet. One student was killed and Jessica lost her leg. Jessica's running days are over. You can't be a track star with only one leg. But her team does not accept that and they pledge to raise the $20,000 needed for a special running leg. Jessica is determined to walk and run again.
I don't know if I was really emotional when I read this book or what but it definitely go...more
I don't know if I was really emotional when I read this book or what but it definitely go...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book really surprised me because it had its own spice of courage and inspiration. Jessica, who is a track star at her school, had everything she ever wanted. She had great friends, family and had the perfect life at the track, where she seemed to be unbeatable. However, that all changes when she gets in a terrible bus accident and loses her leg. Now, this put her into depression because she felt like that she would never have the same life again. All that hard work and dedication to track w...more
I thought this book was interesting - and it was written a bit more from a teenage perspective than some of the other books I have read. What I mean, is that it was written a bit choppier - as in not always using formal sentence structure, and using more "teenage" language. I thought that was definitely an interesting take.
This book is about Jessica, a track star. On the bus on the way to a track meet, the whole bus gets into a terrible accident. One girl loses her life, and Jessica loses her le...more
This book is about Jessica, a track star. On the bus on the way to a track meet, the whole bus gets into a terrible accident. One girl loses her life, and Jessica loses her le...more
This was an amazing book. I read it fast of course because you immediately get sucked into the story. It is a feel good story but very motivational as well. I have sisters who run, I am not a runner. Jessica (the main character) goes running with her sister, Kaylee, she gets asked "When do you stop counting steps?" and Jessica realizes she has never counted her steps and running is just a part of her that she must do. I don't count steps but I do wonder why am I doing this when I do run. And the...more
A must read for any teenager! It is emotionally enlarging and would vastly broaden a young person's perspective.
As an adult, I was at first disappointed that it was fiction. Based on the topic, I was expecting non-fiction, or at least based on a true story. I read the book anyway and decided fiction is better. Wendelin Van Draanen is able to fit a wealth of philosophy, encouragement, and inspiration into her fictional tale. I wept all through the end of the book. Several passages were deeply phi...more
As an adult, I was at first disappointed that it was fiction. Based on the topic, I was expecting non-fiction, or at least based on a true story. I read the book anyway and decided fiction is better. Wendelin Van Draanen is able to fit a wealth of philosophy, encouragement, and inspiration into her fictional tale. I wept all through the end of the book. Several passages were deeply phi...more
With the YA genre going through a bit of a romance obsession, The Running Dream is a breath of fresh air and a cold glass of reality all at once. Jessica is a refreshing heroine. She’s more interested in her passion, running, her friends, and her family than she is in boys, which seem to rank a distant fourth.Which is why it’s that much more terrifying when it looks like her ability to run is going to be permanently compromised by her disability.
The novel begins with Jessica dealing with the los...more
The novel begins with Jessica dealing with the los...more
Wow. I don't usually just give five stars. This is not a book that will make a huge hit on the world like The Hunger Games (which I didn't enjoy as much as people claimed I would but that's another story) did, but it has a strong voice silently relating the story of Jessica, who has lost a leg in an accident. It realistically tells of the pain, guilt and sorrow she suffers after the accident, how a girl gets back on her feet(both figuratively and literally) after being knocked down by life. Her...more
I gave this book a 4 star because it was a very good book but yet a very sad book at the same time. The reason why it was a sad book would be because it was about a girl that absolutely loved to run it was her one and only dream to full fill but one day all she could remember was the finish line. She had lost her leg! Just think if u were only 12 or 13 years old and loved to run but couldn't because of losing your leg. Life would be pretty tough without a leg don't you think? I think it would be...more
Reviews place this at 7thn grade and up - but I think it is fine for younger. The premise that a teen loses her foot due when a car runs into her school bus, a car with no insurance. She is a runner, a 16 year old girl in high school, who suddenly loses her known world. While this is not great literature, and yes, it is a bit of a tear-jerker, it also raises so many important ideas - and without much didacticsm. The characters feel pretty real. Maybe the story threads are a little disparate, but...more
Wendelin Van Draanen is one of my favorite authors and The Running Dream does not disappoint. It is the story of 16-year-old Jessica, a gifted runner who loses her leg in an accident following a track meet in which she has set a league record. The story opens with Jessica in the hospital immediately after her amputation. The reader is thrown into Jessica’s situation at the same time, allowing us to struggle through comprehension along with Jessica. The first few chapters are like a dream: confus...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Hub Reading ...: The Running Dream | 2 | 7 | May 05, 2013 11:15am | |
| Opinions? Like/Dislike? | 4 | 26 | Jan 16, 2013 10:45am |
Wendelin Van Draanen (born January 6, 1965, Chicago, Illinois) is an American author of children's books. She lives in California with her husband Mark Parsons and two sons, Colton and Connor. The daughter of chemists who emigrated to the U.S. from Holland, she worked as a math teacher and then as a high school computer science teacher before becoming a full-time writer. Her books feature spunky l...more
More about Wendelin Van Draanen...
Share This Book
1 trivia question
1 quiz
More quizzes & trivia...
1 quiz
“If the mind's not strong, the body acts weak, even if it's not. If the mind says it's too cold or too rainy or too windy to run, the body will be more than happy to agree. If the mind says it would be better to rest or recover or cut practice, the body will be glad to oblige.”
—
22 people liked it
“I wipe away my tears and nod, because the pain in my leg is nothing compare to the one in my heart.”
—
16 people liked it
More quotes…
Mar 02, 2013 08:24am