Patrick DownesRezensionen

Picture book about a service dog named Rescue who is looking for a human to work for. Jessica is a young girl who just became a double amputee. Together, they find each other and become best friends. The story goes through how Rescue helps Jessica and brings her a new found happiness.

I thought this book was super cute and well done. It was very moving and it made me tear up even! It shows a good relationship with an owner and their service dog. I would for sure have this book in my classroom. This would be a good book for K-2 graders.

This story follows the story of a puppy named Rescue who makes the transition from being trained as a seeing-eye dog to a service dog. This wasn’t Rescue's original plan for his life so this came with stress and disappointment. Jessica was a young girl who was a newly amputee. Rescue and Jessica were both individually learning about what their lives were going to be like, and were both natural at letting this new life path fall into place. They both were proud of themselves but were still weary about their lives. Rescue and Jessica got matched and they were so excited to meet each other. They instantly felt connected and thought one another was so amazing. After a while, they both felt truly happy again and were both so thankful for one another. They had rescued each other. This is based on a true story about Rescue and Jessica.

I thought this book was such a sweet story that was inclusive, inspiring, and showed perseverance. I use this as a resource for both primary and intermediate ages. I have discussion questions in my book club project that would be great to pair with the reading.

1.I would recommend this book to lower to middle elementary school.
2.This book goes through the story of Jessica a girl who became an amputee who wanted a support animal. It follows both the story of a dog named Rescue her human named Jessica and what they did for one another and how they both helped each other.
3.I really like this book and will definitely have it in my future classroom.

This book talks about the uses of guide dogs in someone's life. This could be used in a classroom to showcase how animals can help people.

In the book Rescue and Jessica it's about a girl and her service dog. She explains her relationship with her dog and tells the readers how he helps her. This is a great book for kids learning about service animals.

I'm not crying, you're crying.

I would feel vaguely resentful at the amount of sobbing this book induced in me had it not been so solidly written -- great book to share if you need to talk to kids about how animals can be trained as service animals and how people can overcome in devastating situations. Based on a true story about a Boston Marathon bombing survivor and her service dog. Whole lotta love and good feeling in here.

Award Winning Book
2018

Rescue and Jessica won the Schneider Family Book Award in 2019. This book is a true story with a few general changes for the age group. (Jessica is portrayed as a child in this book, when in reality, she received Rescue when she was and adult. The story is written by the actual Jessica).

As the story opens, we meet Rescue who is told by his trainer that he will never be a seeing eye dog. He wonders where is place is in the world as his whole family has been seeing eye dogs. But, his trainer has decided he would do better as a service dog. Rescue is nervous and doesn't know what to think.

Jessica is currently in the hospital - both of her legs have been badly injured. Jessica is worried and scared that she will never walk again.

The book is a constant flip between Rescue's perspective, being trained, wondering if he will be good enough and Jessica's perspective. In Jessica's case she is concerned about her health, healing, and how that will all work out for her.

Rescue's trainer tells him he's a natural as a service dog. Jessica is also adapting to her new set of circumstances - learning to walk with a prosthetic leg, using a wheelchair, and getting out of bed differently from before her injuries. We find that Jessica and Rescue are both strong-willed and brave - but still worry about their futures and what it holds for them.

Jessica meets another service dog and immediately files an application to get her own. Jessica and Rescue are shown getting their big news on the same day. Rescue even got a special cape to wear. Rescue will be Jessica's service dog! Hooray! He supports Jessica in all sorts of ways, he shows her all the different ways he can assist her - like picking up the phone, opening the fridge, and making others aware when Jessica needs assistance. When there is down time, Jessica lets Rescue take long naps or ensures he has lots of playtime as well.

Soon, Jessica finds out that she will have to have her other leg amputated. However, after she gets the news, Rescue knows just what to do - and they snuggle in their sleep all night long. Jessica and Rescue were meant to be and he continues to help her.

I think this book is important for young children to understand that people are differently abled. That their disabilities can start anytime - whether at birth, due to an accident, or due to an illness later in life. But that doesn't mean that they can't accomplish certain tasks or achieve their dreams.

In the author's note we learn that Jessica was actually injured during the 2013 Boston Marathon and really did become a double amputee due to the injuries sustained that day. Rescue was named in honor of a firefighter who gave his life rescuing others on September 11th. We find out that not only was Jessica injured, but her husband was as well and he also had his leg amputated from injuries sustained that day. As mentioned earlier in the review, Jessica received Rescue as an adult, but states that most of the book is an accurate, though somewhat fictional account, of what happened. They also mention the organization, NEADS, that provided her with Rescue. On the very last page we see Jessica, her husband, and Rescue in a picture from 2017.

I highly recommend this book. It teaches children (and adults!) empathy, understanding, and is quite inspiring. It shows how, though times may get hard, it's possible to overcome tragedy.

Rescue & Jessica is told from the point of view (close third person) of both Rescue, who was originally being trained as a Seeing Eye dog, and Jessica, a girl recovering from a terrible injury. They have each encountered setbacks before they meet; Rescue learns to be a service dog instead of a Seeing Eye dog, and Jessica learns that she must wear a prosthetic leg or use a wheelchair. Once Rescue is fully trained and Jessica has recovered enough to leave the hospital, they meet and make a great pair ("the truth was, they had rescued each other").

Author's Note
"Rescue & Jessica is based on a real-life friendship." Jessica and her husband and co-author Patrick Downes were injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing; Rescue was trained by NEADS/World Class Service Dogs.

This book tells the story of Jessica, a girl who becomes a double amputee, and Rescue, a service dog. Jessica and Rescue meet after Jessica is injured and loses a leg. Rescue becomes her service dog, and together they do everything. Learning to do everything all over again is hard for Jessica, but Rescue brings light into her life. I loved the illustrations in this book--so bright and descriptive! I'm not sure I would use it to teach, but I would definitely add it to my classroom library.

"Rescue and Jessica" is the story of Jessica, a girl who is injured and becomes a double amputee, and a service dog named Rescue who wants to help people. Jessica applies to receive a service dog and is given Rescue. With Rescue's help, Jessica learns to walk again and do all of the things she needs to do. This story is inspired by true events. The author, Jessica Kensky, was injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and became a double amputee; her service dog Rescue helps her daily.
This is a hopeful, loving book about the friendship between a girl and her dog. It shows how wonderful and important service dogs are and what a positive impact they can have on people's lives. This would be an excellent book for people of all ages to read.

Based on the true story of a service dog and double-amputee's relationship. Jessica lost both of her legs as a result of the Boston Marathon Bombing, and was in need of a service dog. Rescue went through excessive training to become a service dog, and they fostered a wonderful relationship. The end of the book the authors describe the training of service dogs. I think this is a great book for first through third grade, and teaches children about disabilities.

This book made me cry. I love how the story has 2 protagonists, Rescue the dog, and Jessica, and how their thoughts and worries mirror one another's . the tone of this book is one of ABILITY, not disability. This book succeeds at helping to fill the wide gap in children's literature that is the under representation of children with disabilities presented as regular everyday children who are living regular everyday lives.

Rescue and Jessica is based on a true story that I love, it's about a young woman who lost both of her legs in the Boston Marathon bombing. Jessica has to relearn everything all over again. Jessica needs help, so she gets a service dog to guide her life and daily activities. Their friendship grows stronger, and they learn more about each other each day. I know the children would love and understand this story about Jessica being disabled. Children would also understand the struggle Jessica has to face with her situation because she believes it won't get better. I believe the theme is friendship because Jessica and Rescue are friends and their bond became stronger.

This is based on a true story of Jessica Kensky who survived the Boston bombing. Jessica lost her leg and is learning to walk again when she gets Rescue, her service dog. Rescue helps Jessica every single day and is even with her when she has to sadly get her other leg amputated. It is so inspiring to see that throughout all of the adversities she faces, she stands strong and unwavering with Rescue by her side. I almost feel like Rescue, "rescued" her by being there with her throughout everything. I loved this story and the fact that it based upon true events made it that much better.½

I really enjoyed listening to this book. I don't know how but the reader's voice was very fitting for the book. My favorite part of this book is that it is incredibly realistic in terms of the feelings of characters. Jessica and Rescue go through so much worry, doubt, sadness, and frustration. This book is suitable for k-3, it's short and simple. This book could provide perspective for students for people with seeing eye dogs. I love how this book showed their journey from the beginning and showed them getting to know and trust each other. They were both very doubtful in the beginning but eventually they got it.

This book is based on the real life of Boston bombing survivor Jessica Kensky and her dog Rescue. Jessica is a young girl who is learning to walk with a prosthetic leg. When she has a visitor who has a service dog, Jessica decides she would like one too. Rescue, a service dog in training, is assigned to her and the two hit it off. Rescue helps Jessica with her day to day life and is always there for her, especially when Jessica learns she must have her other leg amputated as well. I loved this book and thought it dealt with a tough subject perfectly. I particularly loved that it showed Rescue's thoughts as well as I think children would like that. Overall, I thought this book depicted disabilities with grace and in a way that children would understand.

The author Jessica Kensky, is a Boston Marathon bombing survivor. She based the book on her own experiences. Knowing this may have made me even more inclined to like this book but I thought that it was a great read. This is an inspiring story of the bond between a young girl and her service dog. Seen from the perspective of both the girl and the dog. Both are uncertain of their own abilities but, together, discover all that they are capable of. The artwork was equally as beautiful.½

On a farm in the countryside, a pup named Rescue was worried because his whole family was full of seeing-eye dogs, but Rescue was more of a service dog. He didn't want to let anyone down. In a hospital in the city, a girl named Jessica was worried because she just lost her left leg and needed a wheelchair for the rest of her life. She didn't want to let anyone down. In the country, Rescue was learning to become a service dog and in the city, Jessica was learning how to adjust to life with only one leg. One day a visitor came for Jessica and the visitor brought her service dog along. Jessica saw how helpful the service dog was and decided to fill out an application for her own service dog. Both Jessica and Rescue got exciting news and finally, the two met one another. Over time Jessica and Rescue got used to working together and Jessica made sure that Rescue still had playtime every day, just like normal dogs require. One day Jessica's doctor told her that she will need to get her other leg removed as well. Rescue and Jessica started all over again getting used to working together. Jessica was finally happy and Rescue was finally happy too.

This was a sweet and heartwarming read. I felt like it was a little cheesy, but maybe it was just the way the reader was reading the story. I loved how the story was told in both perspectives at first and how both Jessica and Rescue felt the same way in different ways. I also really liked the ending saying that they saved each other, even though I think it's a little cheesy. All in all, this is a great story of a girl with disabilities and her best friend.

I adored this book and the challenges of disability that it encountered and overcame. It detailed the story of a service dog named Rescue and his owner, Jessica. Jessica initially had one leg amputated and was discouraged. Rescue was trained from being a seeing eye dog to being a service dog to accompany her needs. Jessica had to then have her other leg amputated, and Rescue assisted her even further with her daily tasks. They rescued eachother in that way. I loved this story and believe it is appropriate for every child to hear.

I really enjoyed reading this book. This book is based on a true story about a girl named Jessica who was involved in the Boston Marathon bombing where she lost both of her legs. Jessica gets a service dog and they become the best of friends. This book takes you through not only Jessica's journey, but Rescues journey as well. This book takes turns telling you their story before they became each others companions. I love how this story was positive even though there were some tough times they had to go through together. This book really gives you a sneak peak at what it takes to be both a service dog and a double amputee.

This book is about a girl named Jessica, who has a disability, she lost her leg and would have to now have a prosthetic leg and use a wheelchair. Jessica was very sad to this new adjustment in her life and knew there was something missing. Rescue was a dog in the process of being trained to help someone like Jessica do everyday things she would now need help with. They were introduced to one another and knew they were meant to be with one another. Since that day Jessica and Rescue were inseparable. Jessica thought that rescue saved her, and Rescue thought that Jessica saved her, but the truth was that they both saved one another. I loved this book and how it shows that although Jessica had a disability, she was still able to do things with the help of her service dog.

I liked this book because it made a concept that is foreign or unimaginable to many students relatable and gives students with physical disabilities and/or service dogs representation. This book pushes readers to think about how Jessica’s life is both the same and different from their own, giving children perspective and understanding. The format was both unusual and relatable, giving voice to what Rescue could have been thinking in italics. Most dog owners do this regularly, voice what we think our dog would say if they could talk. The book shows the reader that even when you face adversity, you can rise above it with a little help from friends. I also liked that the authors included information about the real Jessica and about service dogs.

This true story is told in the eye of the dog, Rescue. Rescue wonders he will be good enough as a service dog while Jessica, now a double amputee wonders if she will be able to do her everyday tasks. Throughout the book we learn that they need each other.

The Boston Marathon bombing of 2013 was a terrorist attack that took place near the finish line of the race on April 15, 2013. Three people were killed and more than 260 were injured.

Jessica Kensky was an oncology nurse, marathon runner, and newlywed in 2013. For the Boston Marathon race that year, she was only a spectator, but was standing at the wrong place at the wrong time; she lost both her legs in the bombing. Her new husband, Patrick Downes, standing next to her, lost his left leg from the blast. As “The Washington Post” reported:

“The aftermath brought so many surgeries they lost count. They lived at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., for three years. Kensky . . . said there were times she felt she could not go on. Life seemed to consist mostly of preparing for surgeries, having surgeries and recovering from surgeries.”

Jessica was worried about how she would do things on her own, but when she met the service dog of a visitor, she applied for her own that very day.

In alternating pages, we hear from Rescue, a pup who came from a family of service animals, but they were all guide dogs for the blind. Rescue was worried about filling a different role for someone, not wanting to let anyone down.

When Jessica and Rescue met, however, it was mutual love at first sight. They began to work together, doing chores, playing, and best of all, snuggling. Jessica recovered in ways she had never thought possible. Jessica told Rescue: “You changed my life, Rescue… I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“You rescued me, Rescue,” said Jessica. But, as the book points out, “the truth was, they had rescued each other.”

Jessica got her dog from NEADS, a service dog organization in Massachusetts. On their blog, you can read about them and how to get involved. You will also learn that Rescue is now an “uncle,” and you can get updates on the puppies.

The illustrator, Scott Magoon, was running in the Boston Marathon the day of the bombing, and suffered emotionally since that time. His artwork is a marvel, showing the different emotional states of the dog Rescue just as convincingly as those of the people in the story. The pictures show hospital rooms, wheelchairs and prosthetics, but also parks, scenes of playing, and walks through beautiful Boston. You will fall in love with Jessica, Patrick, and Rescue, in part thanks to the warmth of Magoon’s pictures.

Magoon’s touching remembrance of the day of the bombing, posted on his blog, is worth quoting at length:

“This book is perhaps the most personal work I've ever done, closely connecting personal experience, work and love for the city of Boston. I was running the 2013 Boston Marathon as an unofficial (or ‘bandit’) runner on Boylston Street when the first bomb exploded in front of me. 12 seconds later, the second bomb detonated behind me. I felt the concussion wave on my back, my ears rang and then, all around—pandemonium. Panic in my heart—I knew my wife and two boys (ages 8 & 6 at the time) had made their way to Boylston Street's finish line and were somewhere nearby waiting to watch me pass. Where were they? Were they ok? As I abandoned the course, my iPhone rang—it was Christy to say they all were ok. Thank God. We met several very tense minutes later, shaken but relieved to be reunited. Unlike so many around us—like Patrick and Jessica—we escaped physical injury but I struggled with post traumatic stress disorder in the aftermath.”

Evaluation: This is an utterly charming, heart-warming book that puts a positive spin on a terrible tragedy. The story shows not only what it is like to have disabilities, but what a service dog can bring to the equation. As Magoon said in a blog post, “there’s always some light at the end of the tunnel, somewhere.” This book demonstrates that optimism. It is suggested for ages 5 to 9, but I would reclassify it to “5 and above.” Jim and I both loved it.