Running on Dreams [Paperback]

Herb Heiman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2007

Put yourself in Brad s shoes. You re the school track star and all-around cool guy, and you get assigned to be the buddy of Justin, a 15-year-old boy with autism who is starting his first semester in a mainstream school. Thrown together in a story of teenage angst, confusion and friendship, Justin and Brad share their individual perspectives as an adolescent with autism and of a neurotypical teen struggling to understand each other and themselves. The book captures many bittersweet and humorous moments that bring new insight to a familiar world the world of heartbreak for two boys whose relationship starts out quite turbulent, but evolves into an enduring friendship of loyalty and trust.

Editorial Reviews

Review

As his teen characters struggle with the daily difficulties of friends, family and finding a place to fit in the world, Heiman deftly draws us into the primary challenge of adolescence: to find the courage to be true to yourself. Running on Dreams reminds us that to run the race with heart is to win the prize. --John Sexton,Young Adult Librarian, Ashland Public Library, Oregon

Running on Dreams is a story of two middle school boys searching to discover where they fit in the world while searching for friendship.This is an excellent introduction to what if feels like to have a pervasive developmental disorder and would be beneficial to anyone seeking to understand that we are all more alike than different. I will enthusiastically share this book with students, parents and staff that I work with. --Elisa Gagnon, M.S. Ed., Autism/Asperger Syndrome Consultant, Overland Park, Kansas

What a compelling and uplifting story of a most unlikely pair of teens the popular, athletic track star and his socially challenged classmate with autism. This coming-of-age novel is an inspirational read for anyone searching for the true meaning of friendship and acceptance. --Joan Clark MA, CCC-SLP, Author of Jackson Whole Wyoming

As his teen characters struggle with the daily difficulties of friends, family and finding a place to fit in the world, Heiman deftly draws us into the primary challenge of adolescence: to find the courage to be true to yourself. Running on Dreams reminds us that to run the race with heart is to win the prize. --John Sexton,Young Adult Librarian, Ashland Public Library, Oregon

Running on Dreams is a story of two middle school boys searching to discover where they fit in the world while searching for friendship.This is an excellent introduction to what if feels like to have a pervasive developmental disorder and would be beneficial to anyone seeking to understand that we are all more alike than different. I will enthusiastically share this book with students, parents and staff that I work with. --Elisa Gagnon, M.S. Ed., Autism/Asperger Syndrome Consultant, Overland Park, Kansas

About the Author

Herb Heiman, a professional pantomime performer, entertains students of all grade levels throughout southern Oregon. A middle-school special education assistant instructor for 12 years, Herb writes and produces educational television shows for the Southern Oregon Educational Services network. Herb and his wife, Elaine, have three sons and five grandchildren and love the rural, laid-back life of the art/agriculturally-blended community of Talent, OR.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 293 pages
• Publisher: Autism Asperger Publishing Company (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931282285
• ISBN-13: 978-1931282284
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,057,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The human realities of living with aspergers, May 22, 2007

By 

Meri Walker (Ashland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Running on Dreams (Paperback)

The week I first met Herb Heiman this book was published. I met him in his "other life," as a 40-year veteran of TaiChi. His ability to see the gifts in every human being shows up just as strongly in this book as it does in his teaching.

Running on Dreams is a beautiful story that will clean the windows of your heart. Having lived this story with my own child, I know, first hand, the joys, the frustrations, and the terrific sadness that comes with the territory Herb has so masterfully described. Running on Dreams show us, right up close and personal, what it's like being on both sides of the experience of autism.

It's a wonderful book, not just for young adults, but for anyone who wants to understand more about what it's like to cope with the very different experience of the world that people with aspergers live everyday. The story is told from a truly compassionate point of perception. Every parent, every sibling, every neighbor, every teacher, and certainly every school and social service administrator who needs to better understand the everyday challenges of coping with aspergers will benefit deeply from reading it.

I recommend you get a copy for yourself today. Then get five more copies and give them away to others who need to clean the windows of their hearts, too.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Running in Place, July 3, 2007

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Running on Dreams (Paperback)

Brad, 15 has a lot going for him. A track star at the Oregon high school he attends, he also has a good track record academically. He has an older sister, Amy, 19 who has undefined differences and an eating disorder.

Justin, also 15 is an only child who has Asperger's Syndrome which is the spectrum partner to autism. A walking encyclopedia of classic rock knowledge, he is also a Beatle fan who has his first experience in a mainstream/inclusion program. A good resource room teacher helps Justin along in the inclusion process.

Enter Brad. He has signed on for extracurricular activities and decided to pitch in with the resource students. Justin's teacher describes Justin to Brad, feeling that the boys will be a good match. The boys also happen to share the same birthdate.

After some rocky starts, Brad reluctantly rises to the challenge. He feels Justin's blunt statements and willingness to stand by what he believes in even if it means compromising popularity and status might embarrass him. After all, Brad is a track star who has an attractive, albeit shallow and self centered girlfriend and the image that Justin only fantasizes about having.

Brad's friend Pat and Pat's girlfriend Linda, whom Brad describes as a dog help Brad re-evaluate his priorities. In time, he realizes that the trophy girlfriend; the image; the plaudits and middle school status are not the most important priorities in his life. He gets involved with Special Olympics and offers to work with Justin on improving his running and agility.

Excellent dialog and delightful, plausible characters make a good story even better. This is a good book for all ages and the obvious message of tolerance and acceptance can never be overstated. I like the way Brad responded to the Special Olympics participants once he got to know them; I also like his displeasure with Crystal when she made fun of others or acted repelled by people with disabilities. One especially poignant part in the book was when Brad helped a child with a crooked leg onto a seesaw while Crystal rebuffed the child. Brad also says that people with challenges like the boy on the playground and the students in the resource room often got overlooked and that he was one of the people who overlooked them.

An intense book with an ending that will remain in the hearts of readers long after they have turned the last page. This book makes me think of a song by a Brooklyn duo, Professor Louie and Fast Eddie, "You Can Make it on a Dream," which is an intense look at richly drawn individuals who have indeed made things happen.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More alike than different, May 21, 2007

By 

V. Zysk - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Running on Dreams (Paperback)

Author Herb Heiman masterfully offers up a novel about two teenage boys - Justin, who has Asperger's, and Brad, the school's popular track star - on their journey to self discovery. Kudos to Heiman for his real-life descriptions of the thoughts and feelings of both boys as they come to know more about each other and question their place in the world. Wonderful, positive example to readers about the ways we are all more alike than different. Excellent for teens both on and off the spectrum, their parents and teachers.