Thump. Thump. Thump. that’s the sound my shoes made as they hit the ground. I remember the wind hitting my face and gaining more speed with each step. But now I’m laying down in a hospital bed with a broken leg and I thought, “well, what a start.”

The doctor walks into the room I am in and says, “You got a concussion when your head hit the ground and another runner accidentally ran over your leg, which already got hurt when you fell down causing the break to be even worse than it was to start.”

Oh no!

Our first unit of the year, Facing Challenges, will help us to answer the following questions:

• What steps must be taken to face a challenge?
• How do you define normal?
• Why are some people limited by challenges while others are propelled by them?

Together we will read novels where the main characters overcome tremendous obstacles. These novels will serve as models for our own realistic fiction writing. During the months of September and October we will prepare as writers for NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. As you grow as authors, you will post your writing here to inspire, not only one another, but the world around you.