In 2013 a bomb went off at the Boston Marathon. People were killed and people were hurt.
Meet Rescue, a black lab puppy who lives out on a farm where he is being trained to be help people who cannot see. But it turns out that Rescue isn't meant to be a Seeing Eye dog. Instead his trainer decides Rescue should be a dog who works "beside his partners instead of in front of them." He was headed to meet his new partner.
Meet Jessica, a girl who was at the Boston Marathon and had to have part of her left leg taken off. She is worried about how she is going to do things. She's used to doing things on two legs. She has a lot of new things to get used to and one of those things is living with a prosthetic leg. She had to learn how to walk all over again.
This is the true story of how Rescue came into Jessica's life and helped her. As we watch the two wounded creatures learn to work together, we get to see how amazing Jessica is and how amazing Rescue is, too.
When you don't understand something or you aren't used to seeing it or being around it, sometimes that thing can be scary or just make you uncomfortable. As you read the story of Jessica and Rescue, you watch Jessica learn to do things while wearing her prosthetic leg and it becomes more normal and you begin to experience what it would be like to be the person learning how to do everything again. You realize how much courage it takes and how strong that person is.
This is a wonderful story about the uncanny ability of a dog to make the difference in a life. Reading this and watching Rescue and Jessica overcoming their challenges together, builds acceptance and respect for those who use prosthetic devices.
Much-needed, gently told, not saccharine, simply the truth ...and one small miracle.
32 pages 9780763696047 Ages 5-9 Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
*********** Based on a real-life partnership, the heartening story of the love and teamwork between a girl and her service dog will illuminate and inspire.
Rescue thought he’d grow up to be a Seeing Eye dog — it’s the family business, after all. When he gets the news that he’s better suited to being a service dog, he’s worried that he’s not up to the task. Then he meets Jessica, a girl whose life is turning out differently than the way she’d imagined it, too. Now Jessica needs Rescue by her side to help her accomplish everyday tasks. And it turns out that Rescue can help Jessica see after all: a way forward, together, one step at a time. An endnote from the authors tells more about the training and extraordinary abilities of service dogs, particularly their real-life best friend and black lab, Rescue.--from the publisher
