What seemed to be a normal night by herself with her parents off traveling, Heidi took the dogs out for their walk when she saw an object going straight for her yard. She was screaming so hard and loud she could not hear herself because of the sound coming from, what she did not know at the time, the plane. She put her mother’s dogs back inside and ran down to see what had just happen. Having nothing but panic with her, she ran back to her house and dialed 911, where she told the dispatch that a plane had just crashed in her backyard and that she needed immediate help. Once Heidi was convinced that the calm lady on the phone believed her, she hung up and ran back down to the scene to help. A young man, Patrick, 17, who wanted nothing more than to use his EMT training on more than an elderly heard the call on his scanner. He called in for the location with a calm, suave voice. He was now on his way with excitement of being the first to the scene. Heidi, who once thought there was not a use for her, found herself becoming a hero to so many people. This day that she will never forget gave her new friends and a sense of worth. Nothing will ever be the same at the Dove House.
All I can say is “WOW!” I found myself incased in this book. I could not put it down once I started, it seemed so real that it had me in tears at times and then I’d catch myself smiling. When reading this book there were time stamps that took me to the lives of each character on the plane. The characterization in this book was unreal to me! Teddie was a little girl who was being sent on the plane alone back to her parents, worried to death about making sure her parents would be there when she got there. She never let go of her bear, her protection. Two brothers, Daniel and Tuck, were on their way to their father’s house for his wedding to their new stepmother. Darienne was a girl who was only worried about herself and getting to her destination, no concern for anyone. Carly was on her way home from California, where she had run away, because she realized that home is where she needed to be with her family and twin sister. Even though the plot was about the plane crash, it had me going in many different directions but Cooney had a wonderful way of tying it all together. She made me feel like I was apart of the tragedy by taking me into each life; the lives of those waiting in the airport for their loved ones. This young adult book is perfect for the young teenager. The situational realism of this story can tell anyone who is struggling with self worth that they can do anything that they put their mind to; they just have to find what interests them. Heidi, a sixteen year old sophomore, had no idea what she wanted to do or where she belonged, but after the crash she learned that she wanted to be trained for emergency situations. She wanted to be prepared for any emergency so that she would be of knowledgeable help.
I am completely blown away by this book and would read it again tomorrow! The moral choices that Heidi made were uncanny. In this situation many people would panic, as she did, but she still acted as a human being who cared about those strangers involved in the crash. She had no idea what to do; she just knew that she had to save them. I would say that this book is appropriate for middle school aged students. When giving students the opportunity to discuss a book that has a crisis or situation in it, such as a plane crash, it gives the opportunity for open discussion about the consequences of peoples actions. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in heroism in a young adult, looking for an example of self-worth or just something to read. I am so glad I found this to book to read!
Big Question: If a plane were to crash in your backyard, what would you do? Would you be scared to do anything? Would you react the same way that Heidi did? In today’s world, are you comfortable enough to help a stranger in need without thinking twice? What can we do to be prepared for emergency situations?
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