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Description edit
Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a bus 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,... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
Jessica has spent her whole life running, until on a bus riding back to their school after the track meet, where she just got her fastest running time yet, their bus is hit and there is a huge accident. Jessica has to lose her right leg, which means she run again. When Jessica finally gets the... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters edit
- Fiona: Jessica's best friend. She's a sprinter and high jumper on the track team, and has the same determination and mindset that Jessica does when she runs. She, like the rest of the track team, is persistent in her efforts to raise enough money for Jessica to run again.
- Gavin Vance: Jessica's crush, the mayor's son and the most popular guy in school. As he learns to love running, he helps Jessica boost her confidence and uses his writing skills to help her run again.
- Rosa: Jessica's new friend who suffers from cerebral palsy, and is always in a wheel chair. Before the accident, she was always someone that Jessica ignored, but when Jessica finds she's struggling in Math, Rosa is there to help her. Before long, they become good friends, and Rosa helps Jessica with even more than math. Because she's restricted to her wheelchair, she yearns to run, especially when Jessica tells her what it's like.
- Sherlock: Jessica's dog, runs with Jessica each morning
- Ms. Rucker: Jessica's strict math teacher. In her personal life outside of school, she runs too.
- Hank: An expert on prosthetics. Jessica at first doubts him, but with more and more physical therapy sessions with him, she grows fonder of him, even giving him the nickname 'Hankenstein.' He has a great sense of humor, and encouraging attitude, which he uses to help Jessica, and give her hope that she will run again.
- Vanessa Steele: Jessica's track nemesis, they're on opposing teams, and they're always neck and neck in their races. Just hours before the accident, Jessica beat her in the 400, setting a new record. After the accident, she's automatically the best, with Jessica eliminated. She's very vain and self-centered, not caring about other people's feelings or injuries. She seemed to be glad Jessica lost her leg. Even her mother apologized for her daughter's poor attitude towards Jessica, then apologized for being a bad parent.
- Merryl: A long and high jumper on the track team. She seems to have the least team spirit and talent. Most often she skips practices and meetings, and is the least excited about getting Jessica to run again. She's dating Gavin, but only because he felt sympathetic towards her at Lucy's funeral, where she was a phony wreck.
- Chloe: A fellow amputee who helps out Hank. She lost her leg due to cancer, and because of this, Jessica finds her inspiring, because of her strength and bravery despite her battle with cancer. She, like Hank, has a good sense of humor and a positive perspective for Jessica.
- Dr. Wells: Jessica's doctor
- Jessica: She is a girl who lost her leg in an accident.
- Annie: A track hurdler and good friend of Jessica. She's one of the best hurdlers, and is one of the most enthusiastic about raising money for Jessica.
- Mario: Fiona's boyfriend, also on the track team
- Shandall: A very kind person!
- Kayleigh: Jessica's 14 year old sister.
- Langston: English teacher
- Jessica: Jessica was in a bus accident and lost her leg. she has to fight to win herself back. She is determined and meets new friends along the way. She sees something that shes been doing and every one has bee doing to her . Find out in the running dream.
- Jessica: Is a sixteen year own runner. She lost her leg in a bus accident. She also has trouble at first with her disblity but she lives through it all.
- Lucy: A freshman on the track team, who sat in front of Jessica on the bus, and was killed in the accident. For a while after Jessica's leg is amputated, she wonders if Lucy was luckier than her, but as she sees how much support she has and the future she could have, she misses her even more.
- Angelo: Mario's friend, on track team
- Kyro: Jessica's track coach.
- Mrs. Brazzi: Add a description of this character.
- Lucas: Jessica's stuffed bear
- Graham
- Mr. Vedder
- Fiona: Annie's best friend, track team hurdler also
Quotes edit
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“More weeds in my garden of worthiness. (pg. 265)”
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“I wonder about the deep, wide abyss between good intentions and concrete action, and how many of them leapt across it. (page 303)”
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“That’s the funny thing about running. The deceptive thing about it. It may seem mindless, but it’s really largely mental. 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.”
- Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
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That’s the funny thing about running. The deceptive thing about it. It may seem mindless, but it’s really largely mental. 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.
Highlighted by 9 Kindle customers -
“He tells us that life isn’t about what happens to you, it’s about what you do about what happens to you.”
Highlighted by 9 Kindle customers -
Repetition. Effort. Pain. Success. There really is no shortcut.
Highlighted by 7 Kindle customers -
It forces your muscles to fire. Forces you to stay in the race. Forces you to survive the pain of this moment.
Highlighted by 7 Kindle customers -
One by one by one by one. That’s how I got through losing a leg. Minute by minute by minute by minute. Hour by hour by hour by hour. Day by day by day by day.
Highlighted by 6 Kindle customers -
IT’S AMAZING HOW TWO THIN PIECES of clothing can hold such deep memories. Laughter, pain, victory, defeat, friendship, fatigue, elation … they’re all there, but only to the person who’s worn the uniform. To the rest of the world it’s simply shorts and a tank top.
Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers -
Maybe because starting feels so different from finishing. At the starting line you’re amped, set, coiled. At the finish line you’re completely spent.
Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers -
I’m stronger than pain.
Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers -
MY LIFE IS OVER. Behind the
Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers -
I AM A RUNNER. That’s what I do. That’s who I am. Running is all I know, or want, or care about.
Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers
First Sentence edit
My Life Is Over.
Authors & Contributors edit
- Wendelin Van Draanen (Author)
First Edition edit
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Page Count: 352
Publisher: Add the publisher.
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: Add the publication date.
ISBN: Add the ISBN.
Page Count: 352
Awards edit
- Sakura Medal (Finalist, 2012)
- Schneider Family Book Award (2012: Teen)
- Texas Lone Star Reading List (2012)
Subjects edit
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