Heartbeat » (Reprint)

Winner of the 1995 Newbery Medal, Sharon Creech once had this advice for future Newbery winners: "Take a deep breath. You will have about 30 minutes between the call announcing your book is the winner and the onslaught of complete chaos. You won't know what hit you, but get ready: You're going on the ride of your life."

Run run run.

That's what twelve-year-old Annie loves to do. When she's barefoot and running, she can hear her heart beating . . . thump-THUMP, thump-THUMP. It's a rhythm that makes sense in a year when everything's shifting: Her mother is pregnant, her grandfather is forgetful, and her best friend, Max, is always moody. Everything changes over time, just like the apple Annie's been assigned to draw. But as she watches and listens, Annie begins to understand the many rhythms of life, and how she fits within them.

Child Magazine

Running is the one constant in Annie's life as she anxiously awaits the birth of a brother and contends with her moody friend Max and a forgetful grandfather. Funny and insightful, this story, written in free verse by Newbery medalist Creech, is sure to hit home with girls navigating the choppy waters of adolescence. (Ages 8 to 12)
Child magazine's Best Children's Book Awards 2004