QUOTE
At miles 9 & 10, Pellie sure could use a fan. But she is very happy - doing the best that she can.
                                                               - Michele Bredice Craemer

PICTURE BOOK FOR RUNNERS OF ALL AGES
Running has been a main theme of my classroom, so when I came across Michele Bredice Craemer's Pellie Runs a Marathon, I just had to try it out with my students.

We read the first 3 pages and I asked one young man what he thought was going to happen at the end of the book. Predictably enough, he said, " I think that Pellie is going to win the marathon!" and he was correct. Pellie "wins" but not in the traditional sense. Pellie ends the marathon with a "...happy feeling that will go on & on!"

We'll read the book little-by-little and on completion, we'll reread it to find the lessons of running that this book conveys.

The purpose of this book is not to encourage children to run marathons (26.2 miles is an appropriate distance only for accomplished adult runners), but to inspire little runners to do their best, to set goals and follow through, and to be happy with their accomplishments.

Michele Bredice Craemer has written her first children's book and it's bound to be a winner. We know that Michele will have that happy feeling which goes on & on.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Pellie Runs a Marathon is authored by Michele Bredice Craemer and illustrated by Elizabeth Lavin. It is available through Power Pack Presentations (see link above), and will soon be available through amazon.com. The book has been added to kidsrunning.com's recommended reading list in our RED RIBBON program (see link above), and will also be on the USATF Read for Speed's recommended reading list.

Michele is the mother of 2 young boys, has run 5 marathons (including the Boston Marathon), and does presentations on wellness which are full of inspirational messages. Michele's first book was self-published with the help of Saucony, Inc. carol.kids@rodale.com