Jessica has run her personal best at a track meet-then there’s a tragic bus accident and the high school junior loses her leg as well as her future dreams. From waking up in the hospital and coping with the trauma, to her return home, then school, she tries to grab her life back. On one level the story offers inspiration to those dealing with physical changes in their own lives and the stages of recovery, fight, survival, and victory as Jessica reaches deep to push past her wall of self-pity and loathing, and moves beyond the “finish line.” On a deeper level, there is her blind discrimination toward a fellow classmate who has cerebral palsy. Rosa is hard to understand and easy to ignore. She is anchored to a wheelchair. Jessica, encumbered by her crutches and her tender “stump,” is seated in the back of the class, out of the way, next to Rosa. She learns that the girl is smart, wise, and friendly. They pass notes and share lunch. Rosa writes, “I wish people would see me and not my condition.” When Jessica is running again-on a specially engineered prosthesis-she challenges herself to help her friend be seen. How Jessica orchestrates putting Rosa in the forefront of a community race and pushing her wheelchair across a finish line is a study in faith and determination.
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Comments on: "The running dream – Wendelin Van Draanen" (47)
i was drawn to this book because i love running but what i found out that the story was more about that. jessica ran everywhere she loved running and raced everywhere, she loved the feeling that running really fast made her feel. but this time around it all changed when we was run over she had lost her leg, and she know she will ever been able to run again, if i was in her shoes i would be soooooo upset and disappointed. but this heart warming story puts jessicas life and your own life
i would rate this book 9/10
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This is an inspiring story about a young vulnerable girl, after a fateful car crash left Jessica questioning her life, I read this book for lit circles and I found it extremely hard to stop reading at each checkpoint, this book was great for lit circles since we could discuss what will happen next and ask questions like will she be able to recover from this horrible situation, I love this story because of the way Jessica changed, Jessica after the accident looked at life completely differently in a way that she appreciated life and met new people she never even noticed before, was this accident completely bad after all?
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this was the best book ever! at first i dint wan to read it but when I stated to read it I loved it!! This book was about a girl who was in a bus crash and lost her leg, but she still wanted to keep running, but she never thought that she would be able to keep running. She ended up getting a fake leg and in the end she ends up running and her life is ok now!! I would rate this book a 10/10!!
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Running dream is an excellent book. It is about a young girl in high school who experiences a very tragic and sudden injury, as she loses her leg. Jessica the faces many obstacles but she always finds a way to overcome them. This book is very good to read when you’re feeling down and upset. Because it teaches you to never ever give up no matter what happens. This book shows that you should always follow your dreams and never give up, because that is what the main character Jessica did. My favourite character is her best fried as she never loses hope and believes in Jessica no matter what. I recommend this book to many wishing for a good read. I rate it easily a 10/10.
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This book is about a girl called Jessica. Her whole life evolves around running until one day she gets in a car accident and loses her leg. She gets lots of support from her friends and family. But will she ever be able to run again?
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I had to read this book in year 7 for lit circles, and to be honest I wasn’t looking forward to it but once we started i didn’t want to stop, I couldn’t wait for the next week to keep reading. I found this book a great inspiration to keep going in life no matter what happens. After a bus crash that leaves her with one leg, she doesn’t feel or think that he life is over and its to hard to do things, she pushes herself to be the best. After her friends, family and people she didn’t know help her get back in to running, she wanted to help others and thats what she did. I rate this book a 9.5/10
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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?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
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I recommend the novel Running Dream. This is such a inspiring book. Really ever character in this novel you can feel for, relate to or just love. My favourite character was Jessica, Rosa and Fiona. I just loved these characters for separate reasons. Jessica is strong, determined. Rosa is a dreamer, kind. Fiona just wants the best for those she loves. This book made me believe that anything really can happen if you dream, desire and push for it. I recommend this book for ages 12 and above. I rate this novel 8/10.
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When I first heard of this book I thought it was the most amazing book and I really wanted to read it. It is about a girl called Jessica who loves running, But in a freak accident she loses one of her legs from the knee down. She is scared and doesn’t like not being able to do things for herself.
I didn’t really like this book. It was a bit boring and wasn’t my type of book.
I love running and it sort of made me not like it as much.
Even though i didn’t really like the book, It still inspired me to do the best I can
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The running dream is a beautiful and inspiring book. I love the determination and persistence that Jessica has. There were parts in this story that made me cry and parts that made me laugh. This book is like a roller coaster of emotions. When Jessica meets Rosa the story starts to turn into Rosas book. Everyone in this story plays an amazing roll that creates the future for Rosa and Jessica. I would recommend this book to people who are having a tough time, it really motivates you!!
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I read this book the Running Dream a year ago now and I absolutely loved it! I found this book extremely inspiring and heart warming. This great story is about a young girl named Jessica who has a very big passion for running. Jessica is a fantastic runner and loved to race. But one day Jessica finds herself in an accident were she loses her leg. It is the story of her roller coaster of an adventure, that she calls life. I felt that even though I couldn’t relate to it in the fact that I am not a runner I could relate to it with the fact that I am a dancer and it made me think about what it would be like if I were in the situation that Jessica was facing. I certainly recommend this book, brilliant read.
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THE RUNNING DREAM – WENDELIN DRAANEN
The running dream is unbelievably good, actually better than good. Jessica has gone through highs and lows. This has made me realise that I’m extremely lucky to have a full set of limbs and a fully functional body that many disabled people dream of having. She’s extremely lucky to have friends and family helping and supporting her by raising and donating money for a surprise present that she badly need for running. Luckily she’s got a math genius on her hands, but no-one else recognizes Rosa’s smarts. Rosa dreams of running over a finish line accomplishing a race, but it is scientifically proven that she can never run. Jessica does something amazingly awesome with Rosa. I recommend this book for people who love surprises, try not to get too teary. I rate THE RUNNING DREAM 8 and a half out of 10.
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The Running Dream is a amazing book i have never read something like the Running Dream before. When i started reading it i was amazed with it and i couldn’t put it down even though it was on my computer but i couldn’t put my lid down because it made me really think about some people who have been in a car accident and have lost their arm or leg. My favourite character in the book is Rosa because she helped her new friend Jessica get good grades in maths and she is just lovely over all. I also like fiona she has been Jessica’s best friend since prep. like me i have been best friends with a girl since prep and we are still now. I think it’s so nice of Jessica to take Rosa for a marathon i think it was really nice. This book is great for all ages except the really young ones who can’t read yet.
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I have just finished reading the Running Dream during lit circles and I loved it, at first I wasn’t sure that I would be able to relate to it because after all I haven’t lost a leg and I don’t really run compatibly like Jessica,but this book definitely taught me to stay strong even when the matter is terrible and always look for the positive in every situation, the positivity that I took from the book was that Jessica was lucky even though she lost her leg at least she didn’t loose her life like her track member Lucy. But I definitely feel for her parents especially her Dad Jess just got out of hospital and now he has to work for long hours just to pay for Jessica’s medical bills, but at least some of it was paid off by her track team when they were fundraising for her running leg, I thought it was amazing for a small track team to make over 20,000 dollars just for 1 person, but I really want to know who was the anonymous donator who paid for a lot of it? Was it Gavin? Or maybe Rosa? Or even Fiona? I wish they could have answered that. But overall I loved this book and i’m so lucky that I chose it.
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i loved reading the running dream! it was so different to all the other books i have read and i really loved the plot. My favourite part of the book was when Jessica was training with the wheelchair for Rosa and then Gavin saw her i think he is such a gentleman and is the perfect match for Jessica i felt happy for jessica because she has always liked Gavin and finally she got with him.My favourite character out of the whole book is Gavin because he is so nice to Jessica and is very supportive through what she is going through.i personally think the ending could have been better but I would recommend this book to anyone who loves sport, altogether i would rate it a 8/10.
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I have just finished reading The Running Dream during lit circles. This book is so interesting and I also found it really inspirational. This book is about a girl who is an amazing runner and she is off to compete for her school. But then she experiences a car crash and because of this she has lost a leg. Her journey is something that is really amazing and totally worth reading. The way it set out is amazing and the last few words finished the book perfectly ‘this is my new starting line.’
I really enjoyed this book so I am going to rate it a 7/10.
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This book is such a great book if you want something different to read. I have just finished The Running Dream for Lit circles and it was honestly a really powerful book, throughout the book it got better and better. Jessica has just lost her leg due to a car accident that she was in, she had no hope and had lost all confidence in herself. As Jessica started to get used to not having a leg and looked at the positive side to things her world started to change. This book really makes you think about what you have in your life and how much support you have. My favourite character in the book other than Jessica was hands down Fiona and Rosa. They both had such an uplifting spirit and they always made things look better, both of them had such a great personality and a huge set of confidence. The ending of the book came as a shock to me, it was moving and summed up really well, though I thought it could have been heaps better. I’d rate the running dream a seven out of ten.
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The Running Dream
It is a sad and thrilling story about a girl called Jessica and how she loses her leg in a crash going on a school field trip. Jessica thought she would never run again but Jessica did because her school held a fundraiser to buy Jessica a new leg for her to run again. It is a powerful novel to read and will make you think could this happen in real life. I recommend this book to people who like emotional books. I give this book a 9.5 out of 10
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I first discovered and heard about The Running Dream thanks to Lit Circles and it was the book that was given to me to read and study. Throughout the beginning of the novel it was slightly boring and was a tad slow to start. Everything was so negative and the main character Jessica never had even a slither of hope. Even towards the middle of the book the vibe of the novel was dreary and stubborn. But as Jessica started to come to terms with her situation – which was that she was in a bus accident that turned her in an amputee so she could not run her classic 400m race again, the whole vibe and feeling that the novel gave up became a lot more positive and easy to read. My favourite character in the book was hands down Rosa simply because she was such a fantastic yet subtle role model for Jessica to turn into a more positive and happier human begin. The ending of the novel is honestly one of best conclusions to a book I’ve read as it really moving and summed up in just one simple sentence. I’d rate The Running Dream a seven out of ten.
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This book is so powerful. It has inspired me so much, Jessica is such a great role model. It is amazing how well she copes with only one leg. The dream is so real, I got so stuck into my book I actually read it twice! It was the best book I have read so far. It has told me in an emotional way if that it ever happens to someone I know to give them as much love and support as I can. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes inspiring and emotional books. I give it a 10/10
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This book was both emotional and powerful towards the experience that Jessica had to go through. It shows a great amount of bravery from Jessica who had lost her leg after the terrible bus accident. In Jessica’s point of view it showed how running was who she was as a person. This is an amazing book for young athletes to learn to never give up on your dreams and your goals in life. Jessica felt that her life was out of balance seeing as she wasn’t comfortable sitting on the side lines watching her dream fall apart. She took action and was surprised at the amount of people who helped her along the way to save up for her own leg so she could run again once more. Overall I would rate this book a 9 out of 10 because of the powerful emotions she goes through. I would recommend this book to any young athlete that is going towards his or her goal.
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This book is truly amazing and inspiring. Jessica has changed and developed so much since the beginning of the book. She has gained confidence, and the last six words of this book were so touching. “This is my new starting line.” This simple 6 word sentence ties this book together so well, and puts such a beautiful end to the book. It goes perfectly with all the changes and connections revolving around the characters. I really have enjoyed this book, and I really didn’t want it to end.
This whole book has been about Jessica Carlisle’s situation. Readers get a really good insight into Jessica’s perspective of the situation. The car accident that started this whole novel that took 16 year-old Jessica’s leg away made me realise how much we really do take for granted. This book changed the way I think about the little things in life. This book is about Jessica getting her prosthetic leg, and moving forward with her life.
From reading this book, my opinion on some of the characters in the story has changed dramatically. My opinion on other characters such as Fiona and Jessica haven’t changed. My opinion on characters such as Rosa and Gavin have changed. Rosa has been a massive influence on Jessica. She helped her get through this situation. The way that she was by Jessica’s side through the whole journey showed how friendly and kind Rosa truly is. I predicted at the beginning that maybe Rosa and Jessica wouldn’t be friends, but I am so glad the Author gave us a character like Rosa that was a true friend toward Jessica. When the Author first introduced Gavin, I didn’t really like him. The Author made him feel distant, and ‘impossible to become friends with’. I was so glad to keep reading though, as my opinion on him completely changed. I was so happy that he and Jess got together, as you can tell when you’re reading that he really cares for her. Gavin is so supportive, and I knew from the minute he came to Jess’ prosthesis that he really did care about her.
One character that I wish the book gave more insight into was Kaylee, Jessica’s sister. The Author made Kaylee seem like a really distant and non-interested sister. She didn’t seem supportive, and I wish the Author would have made her one of the key characters in this book. It would have been so much better if they would have had sister-to-sister talks, as this would make you see the situation from a sister’s perspective, which I think would be really interesting.
I loved the start of the book, as it gave the book a big kick-start. I found it good that it covered a bit of back-fill at the start as it gave you just the right amount of information about what happened at the beginning. The book was a nice and easy read. It covered a lot of information, and readers were able to see how different characters were dealing with the situation and being surrounded by Jessica. It was amazing to see the determination, courage and resilience Jessica conveyed throughout the novel. Jessica goes through many unforgettable experiences that not many people her age would be able to undertake. It was a real eye-opener to be grateful for what you have.
I am going to rate this book a 7/10. I loved how much this book taught me about never taking anything for granted. I think the age group this book best suits is 12-16+ because it includes some themes that might be disturbing and too deep for an 11-year-old. I don’t think they’d understand the key message behind the book. I rated it 16+ because I think that people over the age of 16 might not be able to relate to it as well as a younger reader. A reason why I didn’t rate the book higher is because the storyline wasn’t intriguing throughout some areas, and it was very basic throughout some parts.
The Author, Wendelin Van Draanen has written The Running Dream with sophistication and beauty. She writes in a way that makes you intrigued; captivated into knowing what could happen next in this engaging book. She makes you feel a part of Jessica’s journey. There was no hiding from any emotions or feelings Jessica had, and because of this you can relate to her. You will feel the ups and downs, and react in similar ways to different events and characters.
This year LitCircles was so good! I always enjoy LitCircles, and this book made me like it even more this year. I think if you have a good book for LitCircles, you find yourself thinking more deeply and relating to the book more. LitCircles gives a really broad range of books; there is something for everyone to read, whether you like fantasy or romance or comedy, there is always something for you. My favourite part about LitCircles was definitely doing these Journal Entries. I love expressing my thoughts about this book, and I loved this year how we did it on WordPress! These are definitely the highlight of LitCircles this year. 🙂 I wish we could do it in year 9!!!
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This is such a powerful and gripping book. Jessica is so strong and I think she is a perfect role model for young athletes, especially girls. This book is basically about a sixteen year old girl named Jessica who is a runner. She didn’t just run – running was who she was. After a race on the way back home on the school bus, a manic driver rams into the bus, leading to Jessica losing her leg. For me, the highlight of the book is on the misty morning when she runs for the first time after her accident, but at the end of the book when she completes the River Run is an amazing bit, too. Van Draanen has written her feelings of hope, hopelessness, sorrow, freedom and being trapped in her own body without being able to express who she is with a such a raw intensity. I would recommend this book to any girl, as it is shines a big light on self worth, esteem and body image. 9/10 – an amazing book!
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This book is an amazing book, I loved every second of it! My favourite part of the book was when Jessica was in hospital and everyone came to visit her, this was so sweet from all her true friends. My favourite character was Fiona, she was such a great friend to Jessica all the time no matter what. I can’t really relate to any characters in this book, but i’m lucky i’m not because it would such a horrible experience. My least favourite part of the book was the funeral of Jessica’s school mate. I would highly recommend this book although it will definitely make you cry. I think the type of person that would love this book would be everyone, its hard not to enjoy. I would rate this book 8 out of 10, this was a truly great book.
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This novel is so inspiring and touching. It gives real perspective on a true amputees life and how it affects her lifestyle. Even though she thinks this accident will ruin her dreams, Jessica still has the courage, commitment and determination to fulfill her dreams. This book really shows that you can make things happen if you really try your best to achieve them. I would rate this novel an 8.5/10 and recommend it for anyone that loves a good story about determination and achievement.
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The running dream is such an amazing book. Jessica’s situations and actions are really inspiring. I found that I could really connect with Jessica and understand her different emotions and feelings. After reading this book I feel as if I can do anything I want to do, and all I have to do is believe and have enough courage to make it happen. Jessica’s experiences take you on an incredible journey, you always want to be next to Jessica and twist her situation in the slightest just to make things go a little better for her. It is so inspiring that Jessica is able to go from not being able to walk to the bathroom to running again in a matter of months, something that a normal amputee would never be able to do in such a short time. Whenever Jessica is sad and depressed you feel the same, when Jessica is happy and cheerful you are put into the same mood, as if you are going through the same thing. I could never put this book down and always felt like I was with Jessica through her hard times and happy times. It is incredible that after everything she has been through she can still find it within her to help someone else, doing something that even an able-bodied person wouldn’t be able to do. This book takes you to another planet. I would highly recommend reading it and would rate 9/10.
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This book Is about a girl in high school who faces a tragic injury and her journey. This book would defiantly fall under the category of three hanky reads. It makes you feel sad but also makes you feel hope for her to recover. It makes you feel like its you in her shoes. I would recommend this book to people above 11 years old. My favourite character is her best friend because she never losses hope she believes in her and won’t give up. You will not want to put it down it sucks you right in. trust me anyone would love this book. i rate it a 10/10.
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I loved the running dream. I am a runner myself and reading this book gave me heaps of motivation. I read the running dream in 6 days. Once I got sucked in I couldn’t put the book down. Part 5, the finish line I enjoyed the most. When everything wrapped up nicely and finished with an encouraging message. Jessica was my favourite character. She showed heaps of courage and determination to run again. She had many hiccups along the way, but she fought them all. Jessica never gave up, she just digged in deeper. I understood what it would be like for Jessica. I could picture her running with the scenery around her and the awkwardness of coming back to school after a long time. Every page of the running dream had so much detail and emotions. I wouldn’t change anything about it. I recommend this book to people over the age of 10 who enjoy an emotional read and especially runners. I rate this book a 9.5/10.
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If you lost a leg, how would you cope? If your dream in life was to be a runner, how would you feel if you lost your leg? Jessica is a runner, but one day a tragic accident changes her life forever. I really enjoyed this book, I will admit that I had to use a few tissues at the end, but I was so moved by this book, I wasn’t able to put it down. From the very first line I was hooked. I would recommend this book to anyone, because it really is a beautiful and powerful book that will really change your aspect on things in life. There was a lot of happy moments in this book, but there were also moments in this book where you wanted to cry with Jessica, because you could feel her pain. This is an amazing book to read, the author writes it so well, so that you can’t put the book down because you don’t want to miss out on what could happen on the next page. I rate this book 9.5/10.
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When I first started to read this book for lit circles I thought that it was really boring and i wished that I had picked another book. As I got through to book the more I started to enjoy it, and now I am glad that I read it is a wonderful book and you feel like you go through on the journey with Jess. The last line in the book is my favourite line. This book is a really touching book, it is great to read anytime and suitable for all ages. I rate this book a 9.5/10
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Alice in wonder land is such a great movie and and it is so entertaining to watch. I really liked this movie because it was very imaginative and it was very exciting. My favourite character is the mad hatter because he is very funny and very quirky. My least favourite character is the red queen because she is very mean and she would kill someone so she could get her way. My favourite scene in the movie was the battle at the end because it was really interesting to watch, and also the part where Alice falls down the rabbit hole. I rate this movie a 8/10 and I recommend it for children the age of 8 and up.
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I had to read this book for lit circles. When I first saw it I thought this book is too thick to be just about a girl who loses a leg in a bus accident surely it will be boring. But it was the complete oposite I love this book because it really makes you feel like your’e Jessica and you really feel her pain. Whilst reading this book I feel truly grateful as to how lucky I am to have both feet and still be able to run freely. I recommend this book to anyone up for a good read it is a bit thick but you don’t really notice because it is so good ! I rate this book an 8/10 !
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The Running Dream is a very inspirational story about a girl named Jessica and how she copes with everyday life after she loses half of her leg in an accident. She has always loved running and since losing her leg her only dream has been to be able to run again. Jessica recovers from her accident very quickly and this means that she will be able to walk in no time. Jessica is taken to a specialist doctor that makes a prosthetic leg for her. However, before Jessica can walk again she has to build up her confidence. My favourite character has been Fiona the whole way through. She is a very loyal friend and is always there to support Jessica. To help raise the $20,000 for Jessica’s prosthetic leg, the track team organised a bake sale and a car wash. This was a great success however it didn’t raise all the money needed. Fiona also helped organise the channel seven news team to come down and interview Jessica. Jessica story made it onto the news that night and many donations were received from those who has seen the story. When Jessica receives her prothetic leg from the specialist she finds that is only a mannequins foot attached to a pipe. She is not very keen to walk on it att first but as time progresses she becomes more confident and finds the more she walks on it the easier it is to walk on. Jessica is very optimistic for the future and cannot believe that she will soon be able to run again. The author Wendelin Van Draanen has made this book very descriptive and very easy to read. This book makes me think of how many things we take for granted. It teaches us that if we persist nothing can get in our way of achieving our dreams. I rate this book 10 out of 10 and would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good story.
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WOW! The Running Dream is one of the most amazing books I have ever read! The way that the author Wendelin Van Draanen, wrote this book was fantastic as I did not want to put it down. If I looked at the cover of The Running Dream, I probably would not have picked it up and read it, as it is not as appealing, but the content that is inside is so good and is very descriptive. So many things happen without the situation dragging on, which I really enjoyed. I would rate this book a 10 out of 10 because it starts off with action, unlike some books I have read, which takes a while to get into the book – but not this one. I could not put it down! My favourite part of the book would have to be part 5, as everything comes together really nicely and finishes with a message of hope. My favourite character would have to be Fiona because she is always beside Jessica, no matter all of her problems. Fiona never gives up on Jessica, when Jessica might give up on herself and Fiona is always trying to get Jessica to begin to do some more different things that she thought she would never be able to do after her accident. Rosa is probably my other favourite character, as she is so kind and helpful towards Jessica, throughout the whole book and she is always encouraging her to keep on going. I love how Jessica is able to see Rosa and not her condition which I think shows real friendship and that Jessica does not ‘judge a book by its cover’. I think that I can not relate to Jessica, in the way that she had lost her leg, but I can relate to her, as everyone has troubles that will eventually fix themselves, but might take a while. Also, these problems will never go away if you have a negative attitude, which Jessica had in the beginning of the book, but that definitely changed throughout every part of the book. I would recommend this book to any teenage girl, as it is a book that will be thoroughly enjoyed, and you would never be able to put it down. I am sad that The Running Dream is over, but I will definitely read this book again.
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I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! It was the most amazing book ever! It made me feel like I was really part of the book. I had never read anything like this before, and I wouldn’t usually choose this book based on its cover but, it sure did amaze me. I felt like I was able to cheer for Jessica when she achieved something and feel her pain when she was down. My favourite character throughout the entire book is most defiantly Rosa. Rosa has Cerebral Palsy but that doesn’t stop her from giving everyone around her hope and a reason to smile. She is my favourite character because she shows you how to see things in a different way to the way Jessica and I would usually see things. Rosa has a more positive out look on life that lightens up the mood of everyone who is around her. I have loved every single moment of this book and it has given me a different perspective on life. It has taught me not to take things for granted and to cherish and love what I do have. It has made me realize that I am very lucky to have all that I have and take any chance I get. I really didn’t want this book to end! It was truly the most heart warming story and it was definitely base on hope and how strong love can be. I would recommend this book to anyone and every one, I loved it and it is a great read for any one! I would rate this book 10/10! 🙂
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This week we finished our book The Running Dream. I was really sad to see this finished but it was a great ending. I think that I really enjoyed this book because it had a great story line and it was really inspiring. I think this book would help many people we should never take things for granted and I think we can all admit we all take things for granted. I think that one of the parts I loved the most was how Rosa helps Jessica with her studies and how Gavin goes to ‘Hankenstiens’ With Jess and Fiona. I think it has a great story line that a lot of people can learn from. I think that I would rate this 10 out of ten and I would recommend this to any one from the ages 12 and above because I think that people these ages would be the best at understanding what is really happening.
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Oh My Gosh , I cant believe we have already finish the Running Dream the weeks have flown by. One week Jess in in the hospital and the next well i don’t want to give away the ending , but its a beautiful one , that i’m sure will bring a tear to your eye. I think its a beautiful story about strength and friendship. Jess is only 16 and her dream to run is to big to let go, its a beautiful book and you should definantly read it
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The Running Dream is the most incredible book. It is so inspirational and it makes me believe that I can do anything. I really love it how Rosa helps Jess with her studies and really cares about her getting a good score in her maths test. I now know what it must have been like to lose a limb. The author is great at explaining her feelings and emotions. Before I read this book I didn’t know the slightest bit about prosthetic legs or anything, now I feel like I know heaps about them. Through-out the book you learn about cerebral palsy which I didn’t know the slightest thing about before. I really like how Jessica shows determination and persistence when she looses her leg.
I recommend that people over the age of 13 read this book because after you have read it all your problems will seem tiny compared to hers. It will inspire you to achieve your dreams and go for what you want.
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I really liked this book and found that it pulled me in very chapter I read. It was very inspiring how Jessica always kept hope and achieved her dream by doing so. I loved how the book took you on a journey not just with Jessica but with Rosa, Fiona, the mum and dad and Gavin as well. I Loved how at the end of the book that Rosa finally gets to cross the finish line and Jessica achieves her dream and runs a race with her racing leg. Jessica inspires me to always try my best in things even when times get hard I need to push through to achieve my goals.
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This week we have finish the the book The running Dream after is the book it is amazing and if anyone likes to run you should of thinking about of reading it and after i reading it is amazing and the main charter is jessica and she is so great because first she through is was going to lose a week and after the book she knew that she could run again .In the book if you have a dream that you should go for it and if you had to lose an leg or an arm that there is a good try that you could get back to that dream.
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I loved this book, it was so inspirational and moving. It made me realise that I’m really lucky that I’m not missing my leg because the main character showed me that it’s really hard to pursue her dream of running when she is without a leg. She persevered though and her strength, courage and willingness to get through the tough times just amazed me. I loved all of the book but the part that really stood out for me when was when Jessica (the main character) was reliving the last time she ran and how when she was running around the track she felt so free with the wind blowing through her hair and the beautiful scenery racing past her. I could then picture how much she loved running and how much she missed it. When I was reading that bit I felt like her thoughts were pounding in my skull and I could feel all her emotions. I have two favourite characters for this book. One is the main character, Jessica, who inspired me that I can do more in life and really try to reach out to others. The other is Rosa, she is disabled and has Cerebral Palsy but she is so kind and full of so much hope. I recommend this book to girls aged from 11-16 who enjoy to read books about everyday people that are suddenly struck with a huge problem that they have to overcome or move through.
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I Have now finished the running dream the book and i thought it was amazing the way it finished but it didn’t bring a tear to my eye like i thought it would. I also was so happy and thought it was cute that Gavin and Jessica finally got together cause i really wanted them to when reading the book and i loved that Fiona is still by Jessica side. I was so shocked, surprised and thought it was really nice that her friends sent her the prosthetic leg with nice notes. I still like mostly all the characters in the book because they are nice and kind and helpful towards Jessica and this whole book journey but i don’t really like Vanessa or Merryl because they always want to get what they want and are always winny and a bit clingy. I would really like to read another book like this because i haven’t read books like this before and i really enjoy them. I don’t really have a favourite part of the book i really enjoyed it all i would rate it 8/10 because in parts it was a bit boring.
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Have you ever read a book you couldn’t put down? Or a story that left you spellbound? That is exactly how the best seller, ‘The Running Dream’ left me. No matter how hard I tried, it was impossible to get my head out of this novel spilling with emotion, courage and inspiration.
This novel has taken me on an emotional roller-coaster, unlike one I have ever been on before. Although at times I’m sure Jessica would have asked, why me? How did this happen? What will become of me and my life now? She always stayed strong, it was her dreams that kept her afloat. The running dream kept her going.
By the final page my eyes were red and blurry. I feel like I have been on a journey with Jessica that has lasted over a lifetime. The connection between her and myself is extraordinary, it’s as if I’ve known her all my life. Although now I have finished this engrossing book, every time something seems difficult or challenging, I will think of Jessica and many others who share the same inspirational story as herself.
Jessica’s story has taught me much, just like I’m sure it has taught many others who have read this heart warming novel. I recommend this story to anyone who loves a good read. Jessica taught me to never give up, to keep on going, to hold my chin up high, and, most importantly, to follow my dreams. Just like Pamela Vaull Starr once said, “Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal”.
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The running dream is great and I would rate it 9/10. My favourite characters were Rosa and Jessica, they worked as a team, faced their fears and became really good friends. Rosa was so caring and generous and accepted herself for her. Jessica is such an inspiration knowing that she can now achieve almost anything that she comes across. She was determined and grateful. I loved this book and enjoyed it 100%.
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I am reading the running dream for lit circles and i am so loving it! it is the type of book that you just can’t down, but i have to when i get up to the page! The book is based around a girl named Jessica and she is 16, she loves running and she runs everywhere until one day she runs into trouble and gets hit by a bus and gets her leg taken away!
i recommend this book to 14/15 yr old and people that want to read a really GOOD book.
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i loved the book the running dream.
The story is about a girl named jessica who is 16. She loves running she ran everywhere running was her life until one day in a tragic bus accident she loses her leg. During this Jessica feels depressed knowing that she will never run again. As jessica struggles to live with the difficulties of one leg she gets to know a girl named rosa who has cerebral palsy. She learns that although she has only one leg she will be able to walk again and learns that maybe there are more important things in life. She helps Rosa to be seen as not just that girl, and as Rosa.
I really enjoyed this book. When i feel tired or feel like giving up i always think back to this book and think of poor jessica and that what i am doing isn’t that hard. I really recommend this book to anyone who stumbles across it. It is a truly very very very good book!
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The running dream is a good book to read when you need a good cheering up, I was drawn to this book because i like running but what i found out was that the story was about more than that. Jessica ran everywhere, she loved running and raced everyone and everything that moved, she loved the feeling that running really fast made her feel. But this all changed when she was run over and lost her leg, and she knows she’ll never be able to run again. But this heart warming story puts Jessica’s life and your own life into perspective as she struggles to find a way to keep following her dreams. i recommend this book to anyone because it helps you appreciate what you have and how lucky you are. Now when i go for a hard run or struggle in a test, i think of jessica and i don’t feel as tired.
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