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Saturday, July 24, 2010

Kid Konnection: Terry Fox: A Story of Hope by Maxine Trottier

Terry Fox: A Story of Hope by Maxine Trottier
Scholastic Canada
ISBN: 978-1-443102506
Published July 1, 2010
Paperback, 40 pages, Ages 7-12

Few, if any Canadians, have never heard of Terry Fox, the young cancer-fighting man who ran across Eastern Canada in his Marathon of Hope to raise funds for children suffering from cancer. (I remember watching him on TV when I was a kid.) The most amazing part was that he ran with a leg prosthesis since his right leg was amputated shortly after he was diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 18. Painful and arduous, but with determination and courage Terry ran an average of 26 miles a day (the equivalent of a marathon) for 143 days until one morning he woke up and couldn’t do it anymore. The cancer had reached his lungs. He died one month short of his 23rd birthday.

It’s impossible to read this book without being moved and feeling a surge of admiration for Terry. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Terry’s Marathon of Hope. This book, initially published in 2005 is now republished with a slightly different front cover and additional information such as when his memory was honoured at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Terry Fox: A Story of Hope is the perfect biography for kids as it’s filled with photos of Terry’s childhood and subsequent quest. Every school library should have a copy. Reading it allowed us to discuss cancer, leg amputation (my 6 year-old son wanted all the details!) and what determination and hope can accomplish. Now, when they participate in the Terry Fox Walk or Run at school (most Canadian schools do it in September) they will know that they are carrying on Terry’s dream and fulfilling his words:  “Even if I don’t finish, we need others to continue. It’s got to keep going without me.”


Maxine Trottier is donating royalties from this book to the Terry Fox Foundation. Scholastic Canada is matching that donation. For more information on the Terry Fox Run visit www.terryfoxrun.com.


Every Saturday, Booking Mama hosts a feature called Kid Konnection—a regular weekend feature about anything related to children's books. If you'd like to participate in Kid Konnection and share a post about anything related to children's books (picture, middle grade, or young adult) from the past week, visit Booking Mama.


Disclosure: Thank you to Nikole from Scholastic Canada for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.


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4 comments :

  1. That sounds like such an important story. I'm sure I'd cry while I read it.

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  2. What an amazing story -- so inspirational. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. Oh my gosh -- I totally forgot about Terry Fox! I lived in Oakville Ontario as an adolescent, and at the time of his trek -- thank you so much for the reminder and the book!

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  4. bermudaonion - I did choke up as I was reading it. Very moving.

    Julie P - Yes, it's very inspirational!

    Gerbera - Terry Fox is very well known in Canada but I did not know if he was in the US.

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Thank you for commenting! I appreciate your feedback.

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