Wonder
R. J. Palacio
Like Jessica, Auggie deals with stares and people who look away. Its theme of choosing kindness and truly seeing others echoes how Jessica learns to see Rosa.
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Find Similar BooksThe Running Dream
Young Adult
★★★★★4.5 (7)
A brisk, emotionally direct YA novel about a runner relearning her place in the world after a serious injury, with a sharp eye for how people treat disability.
What It's About
The Running Dream is a young adult novel by Wendelin Van Draanen, the author of Flipped, and it follows Jessica, a fast athlete whose life changes abruptly after she loses a leg. The story is less about the accident itself than about the long stretch afterward: the frustration of rehabilitation, the awkwardness of friends who don't know what to say, and the slow realization that she has been unfair to others too. The book's central relationship, with a classmate who has cerebral palsy and offers to help Jessica with schoolwork, gives the novel its emotional spine.
Van Draanen writes in short, quick chapters with a close view of Jessica's thinking. The sentences are plain and forward-moving, and the narration is candid about envy, self-pity, and pride without asking the reader to admire her at every turn. Much of the pleasure comes from watching Jessica's attitude shift in small increments rather than through one big speech about acceptance.
Reading it feels more like a fast, emotional afternoon than a demanding novel. It is most affecting when it stays with the everyday texture of school, teammates, and family life, and it asks readers to notice who gets overlooked in their own lives.
Read this if you…
- want a realistic, hopeful teen novel about adjusting to a major physical change
- enjoyed Van Draanen's conversational voice in Flipped and want more of it
- are interested in sports stories where the main opponent is your own doubt
Skip it if you…
- want a sports novel focused mostly on races, training plans, and competition
- prefer dark, grief-heavy fiction with no easy emotional payoff
Key Ideas
- 1
Being watched but not really seen
Jessica finds herself at the center of attention because of her injury, yet people talk about her disability instead of her. Some avoid her entirely, others overcompensate, and both reactions leave her feeling unseen. The book uses this tension to show how well-meaning people can still make a person feel invisible.
- 2
Recovery as a slow, uneven process
The novel treats rehabilitation as a grind of practice, setbacks, and mixed feelings rather than a single inspirational montage. Physical progress does not automatically bring emotional peace, and Jessica's sense of who she is changes at its own pace. This honesty about the messy middle is one of the book's strengths.
- 3
Who we overlook when self-focused
Jessica's relationship with Rosa forces her to confront how she has treated another girl with a disability. The book examines the ordinary cruelty of looking past people, even when you believe you are being kind. It asks readers to reflect on their own blind spots.
- 4
Redefining success beyond personal goals
Early on, Jessica's ambition is entirely about her own performance and finish lines. As the story goes on, her idea of achievement widens to include bringing others along with her. The shift is gradual and grounded in relationships rather than abstract lessons.
Limitations
Some readers find the arc tidy, with conflicts resolved more smoothly than real recovery usually allows. The book is written for younger teens, so adult readers may find the prose light and the emotional lessons quite direct. Disability is seen mostly through Jessica's perspective and Rosa's, so the range of disabled experience on the page is limited. The novel also spends little time on the medical and financial details that shape many people's real lives after amputation.
Questions Readers Ask
- Is The Running Dream only for readers who love running?
- No. Running is central to Jessica's identity, so the story does involve track, but the heart of the book is about adjusting to a new body, handling other people's reactions, and building friendships. Readers who have little interest in sports can still connect with the emotional story, though those who enjoy athletic detail will find more to appreciate.
- How does it compare to Flipped?
- Both books share a conversational, accessible voice and a focus on how teenagers see each other. Flipped is a romance told from alternating points of view, while The Running Dream stays closer to one character and is more directly about disability, loss, and empathy. Readers who liked the warmth of Flipped will likely appreciate this book too.
What Creators Say About The Running Dream
Reviews from readers on YouTube. Their opinions are their own.
- Published
- 2012
- ISBN
- 9780375866289
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Category
- Young Adult
Book details and cover from Google Books.
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