Product Description
Ten years ago, In a riveting story of courage and hope, Peg Kehret wrote of months spent in a hospital when she was twelve, first struggling to survive a severe case of polio, then slowly learning to walk again. The book deeply touched readers of all ages and received many awards and honors. This anniversary edition includes an updated and extended epilogue about the author's experiences since the original publication. It also includes twelve pages of new photos and a lengthy section about polio, past and present. This 10th Anniversary Edition will inspire a whole new generation of readers. Those readers who already love it will find themselves reaching for it one more time.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 78 reviews)

Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Avid Reader (Minnesota)

5 Stars
June 29, 2009
This was an excellent book that very accurately described what children experienced when they contracted polio in the 1940's and 1950's. It was well written to be read quickly by an older child or by an adult to any child or just for their own education. Peg Kehret's memories will help as a base in any discussion of polio; what happens, how it was treated and in some cases overcome, and what health problems reoccur many years later.

Kid Review: Best Book Ever!

5 Stars
March 08, 2009
I really liked this book because it told you what it meant to have polio. Peg Khert told you in her own words what it was like to be a child with polio. She writes how deadly and dangerous polio was in 1949. It was heartfelt and she made friends along her hard journey. I think that kids and adults should read this book.

Great book for middle schoolers and older! by J. Young

5 Stars
February 02, 2009
I'm a middle school science teacher. We study viruses in 8th grade. We read this book aloud each year. Peg Kehret is a children's author who had polio when she was a kid. She tells the story well giving the kids an insight into the disease and it's place in history as well. The 8th graders really are engaged listeners when we read it. Parents who have read it tell me they enjoyed it and learned from it, too. I recommend it highly.

Great book by Mom of boys (Akron, OH)

5 Stars
August 23, 2008
My son will read this in school this year in 6th grade, so I read it when we purchased it. I could not put it down. It was a great book. I will look for more by this author! I am also impressed by our school system - this story will give our 6th graders perspective on what real 'problems' are - not just the trivial things preteens and teens are usually concerned about.

A touching first-hand account of the great suffering that polio inflicted by Veggiechiliqueen

5 Stars
June 06, 2008
In our modern age of vaccinations, it seems inconceivable that in 1949, 42,033 cases of polio were diagnosed. It was a disease without a vaccine or antidote that meant excruciating pain, followed by extensive physical therapy assuming that the patient didn't die from complications. There are three main variants: spinal polio, which causes rapid paralysis of the arms and legs (generally asymmetrical), bulbar polio, which causes difficulty breathing and swallowing (and frequently requiring the use of iron lungs as breathing muscles and mechanisms are greatly weakened), and respiratory polio, a combination of the above two. Peg Kehret was twelve years old when she contracted respiratory polio; she was the only victim in her small Minnesota town that year. Peg recounts her terrifying illness in a very matter-of-fact yet gripping narrative. Paralysis set in rapidly, and she had a fever of 102 for nearly a week as her muscles weakened, requiring her to use an oxygen tent. But Peg was lucky; once her fever breaks (aided by a contraband chocolate milkshake), her recovery is much more rapid than her fellow hospital and rehab roommates. Even though Peg is nearly a teenager, there are small poignant touches of the remnants of childhood; her brother Art sent her a teddy bear that had to be burned once she left the polio ward, and her mother recommended that she donate her old books and toys to the children's polio ward. Peg resists, recalling happy memories with her old books and toys, and is dismayed to find that her parents have redecorated her old room as a surprise. Peg is an engaging narrator who brings a distant era to life through radio dramas such as The Lone Ranger and the simplicity of a time where books and friendships filled our hours instead of electronics. Her rehabilitation is tempered with humor and spirit; no self-pity here, only the desire to become the best she can be. The Sister Kenny method of polio treatment is described in detail, along with physical and occupational therapy exercises. Peg has a crush on Dr. Bevis, a handsome doctor who makes her feel special by painting her toenails when she's still in intensive care, and promises him that she'll return to walk for him. She makes friends with several other girls recovering from polio, including the bitter Alice, who's lived at the rehabilitation center for ten years after her parents couldn't care for her. The girls are brought together by their shared experiences as polio survivors, and Peg is apprehensive about rejoining her school and the outside world. The novel is brought full-circle by the sad mention that Peg, along with her former roommates, suffers from post-polio syndrome; around 25% of childhood polio sufferers develop additional symptoms decades after the initial infection, including muscle weakness, fatigue, or paralysis. After working so hard to overcome polio, she's certainly not giving in now. There are also vintage photographs of the author and her roommates scattered throughout. A marvelous introduction to polio's debilitating effects and the power of positive thinking on recovery.

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