Leap
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3.0 • 1 Rating
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Daniel says: life caused me to grow up fast. Real fast. Like overnight. Krista says: The real me—the one who knew I should treat Daniel the way I'd want to be treated—was angry at the other me. I just didn't want to lose Bobby by taking sides with Daniel.Daniel and Krista used to be inseparable. Now that they're older, they've drifted apart—but when an accident leaves Daniel temporarily paralyzed, he needs his old friend more than ever. And Krista wants to help him. Only it's not as easy as it seems, not when Krista's feelings for another boy, Bobby, keep getting in the way. And it doesn't help that Daniel and Bobby were both star swimmers—before Daniel's accident, that is. Growing up is hard on everyone, but it's up to Krista to prove how strong friendship can be.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This sensitively wrought novel about growing pains shows how two sixth-graders in Flushing, Queens, rekindle an old friendship after a devastating accident. Through alternating viewpoints, Zalben (Hey, Mama Goose) offers an up-close, honest portrayal of her two main characters: Daniel, who is left partially paralyzed after having an allergic reaction to anesthesia, and Krista, who used to be close to Daniel but now is preoccupied with getting Daniel's best friend, Bobby, to notice her. As the story unfolds, the children's individual conflicts come to light. Daniel, once a champion swimmer, is frustrated with his slow progress in recovering the use of his legs and is distraught by his parents' bitterness towards Bobby's father (the dentist "responsible" for Daniel's paralysis). Family tensions go from bad to worse when Daniel's mother leaves the family to pursue her music dreams. Meanwhile, Krista experiences her own share of anger and dismay as she observes the blossoming romance between Bobby and another classmate, Lainie. As Daniel and Krista struggle to come to terms with changes in their lives, they find themselves drawn together. Krista agrees to help Daniel relearn how to swim and the two of them team up to work on a science project centered on a tadpole. The tadpole's metamorphosis neatly mirrors the children's internal growth as they come to terms with their losses and move forward. Eloquently expressing the power of hope and friendship, this story delivers an inspiring message. Ages 10-up.
