by Kate Fagan
First published 2012
Deena Jackson has spent her high school years invisible to her classmates. She keeps to herself, speaks little, and draws no attention. Then her father receives a cancer diagnosis just before her senior year begins. Everything in her family shifts. Deena watches her dad fight his illness and something awakens in her. She finds the sneakers he bought her a year earlier and steps outside to run. Her father encourages her new passion. Deena decides to try out for the cross country team, despite having no experience with competitive running. She faces the physical demands of training and the social challenges of joining a team as an outsider. Her journey becomes more than just making the team. Running transforms how she sees herself and her place in the world. Through miles of training and her father's unwavering support, Deena discovers strength she never knew existed.
Genres: contemporary, sports, young-adult, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, self-discovery
155 pages · Paperback · Townsend Press
Content warnings: terminal-illness