True Heroes

“This beautiful volume provides a hopeful antidote that combines fantastical and inspirational pictures with prose designed to engage children’s imaginations and remind them that they are full of power, strength, and hope.”—Richard Paul Evans, #1 New York Times bestselling author

This one-of-a-kind treasury brings together the talents of nearly two dozen bestselling middle-grade authors including Shannon Hale, Brandon Mull, Ally Condie and Jennifer A. Nielsen-who have created original short stories, modern-day fairy tales, based on the lives and dreams of children they have met who all have two things in common: They have very big hopes and dreams and they are all cancer patients. Each short story is prefaced by a brief introductionary bio of the child and is accompanied by photographs of the child, fully costumed and digitally inserted into a background-A baker, a dancer, a superhero, a dragon fighter, a sports star, a princess and more- that makes them the hero of their own modern-day fairy tale story written by one of their favorite authors.

Excerpt:

Lilly the Warrior Princess (Ewing Sarcoma) Meet Lilly! Lilly is the only known person to be born with Ewing’s Sarcoma and survive. That’s right, she is literally one of a kind, nobody has ever done what she has done. She has had to fight tooth and nail for her life, and at three years old she completely embodies what it means to defy the odds. She is an absolute miracle in every sense of the word. Her strength is matched only by her mother’s. Her story is as much about her as it is about her mother, standing by her and fighting with her every step of the way. Lilly is an example of never ever giving up hope, despite the odds. Medically speaking, Lilly had a 0% chance of surviving, yet she did. It just goes to show how powerful hope truly is. Lilly is living proof that anything is possible, that Anything Can Be.

Lilly, Warrior Princess

Shannon Hale

Lilly was locked up in a tower. The first day wasn’t so bad. She was too angry at herself for falling into her enemy’s trap to notice the time. The second day the anger still warmed her. The third it began to trickle away. But still the fight in her didn’t. She kicked the door again again again until sweat prickled her brow. She brushed her hand over her forehead and smooth scalp. The first thing her captors had done after shackling her in this room was shave off her hair. There were old stories, folk tales, of princesses locked in towers and their long hair granting them the power of escape. It was utter nonsense of course. As if her power was locked into her hair and could so easily be cut away. She snorted a laugh. Her power boiled in her blood, baked into her bones, strengthened with every breath….

ISBN: 978-1-62972-103-3
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
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