Dream Big
A True Story of Courage and Determination
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Have you ever had a dream? How did you make that dream come true?
Dave McGillivray is a world-renowned athlete, entrepreneur, captivating motivational speaker, and philanthropist. He’s also the director of the Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest and maybe most famous annual race! But he wasn’t always so accomplished. In Dream Big: A True Story of Courage and Determination, his nonfiction picture book for readers ages 6 to 10, Dave shares his unique, true story about reaching deep and showing extreme determination in the face of doubt, disappointment, and loss.
In Dream Big: A True Story of Courage and Determination, Dave is a small kid who wants more than anything to be a professional athlete. But there’s one problem. You have to be tall to play basketball. You have to be big to play football. And Dave? He’s little, but his dreams are BIG. He turns to running, because you don’t have to be big to be a marathon runner! But you do need to train. And Dave doesn’t do much training before he crosses his first starting line of the Boston Marathon. Which is probably why he doesn’t quite cross the finish line on his first attempt at the famous race. But his Grandpa believes in him, and that’s enough to make Dave train hard for the next Boston Marathon. But will his Grandpa be there to see him succeed?
Kids and grownups alike will be inspired by Dave’s story of passion, determination, and grit. Nomad Press’s first foray into the genre of nonfiction picture books, Dream Big delivers on all the promise you’d expect from a vibrant, real-life character paired with an award-winning fine artist. Together, Dave McGillivray and Ron Himler create a story that is heartwarming, inspiring, and beautifully presented.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
McGillivray, the director of the Boston Marathon, tells his story of overcoming obstacles to complete the marathon for the first time. As a small child, McGillivray found strength and confidence through running. At 17, he entered the marathon without adequately training. Though he collapsed during the race, he accepted a challenge from his grandfather ("my favorite person in the whole world") to try again: "If you train and work hard, I promise to wait for you next year and cheer you on." His grandfather's untimely death served as greater motivation to complete the race. Himler works in spare, pencil-and-wash paintings that bring a quality of intimacy to the page. McGillivray's sentiments about his grandfather are tender, but in some ways narrow the focus of the story; readers are more likely to grasp the more universal message about setting realistic goals and taking a measured approach to achieving them. Ages 7 12.