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  • Second Chances by Harriet Zaidman book cover
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Second Chances

by Harriet Zaidman

A young life reshaped by polio

$15.62 USD
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AlbakiReads Editorial

A young life reshaped by polio

Set during Winnipeg’s early-1950s polio outbreak, the novel centers on thirteen-year-old Dale Melnyk as he undergoes treatment in an iron lung and works toward breathing independently and regaining the use of his limbs. His recovery is measured against the struggles of other young patients, while the possibility of returning to hockey gives his hopes a clear, personal focus. The story places one boy’s fight to rebuild his life within the wider experience of an outbreak and its effects on young people.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Teens and young adults interested in historical fiction set in Canada.
  • Readers curious about the history of polio and its effects on young patients.
  • Those who enjoy stories about recovery and the possibility of returning to a cherished activity.

Themes

Polio and recoveryResilienceFriendship and empathyCanadian history in the early 1950s

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Thirteen-year-old Dale Melnyk finds himself stuck in an iron lung, desperately fighting for breath -- and wishing he could die. It is the worst outbreak of polio in the history of Winnipeg, and Dale is one of the many young victims being treated in the early 1950s.

Second Chances follows Dale's slow and often agonizing struggle to regain his life, first of all to breathe on his own and then to regain the use of his limbs. Will he ever be able to play hockey again, he wonders? Dale comes to realize that he is doing better than a number of the other patients including Charlene, a young M

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Malaika Taylor

I highly recommend to for anyone looking for inner clarity

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Great shopping experience! The book arrived quickly, was well packaged, and matched the description perfectly. I would definitely shop with you again

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