About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is navigating the weight of heavy family responsibilities or struggling to fit into a new, high-pressure environment. Patina is a deeply empathetic story about a young girl who feels she must be the 'anchor' for her family while her mother recovers from a serious health crisis. It beautifully explores themes of sibling bonds, the anxiety of perfectionism, and the vulnerability required to trust a team. Parents will appreciate how it models healthy communication with caregivers and shows that being strong doesn't mean carrying everything alone. It is a poignant, relatable choice for middle schoolers learning to balance their own goals with the needs of those they love.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
DISTRESS: The descriptions of Patty's mother's illness and the loss of her legs are emotionally heavy and may be distressing for children currently dealing with a parent's chronic illness. There is also a scene where a teammate's mother has a medical emergency at a track meet that causes significant panic and fear. CONVERSATION: Parents should be prepared to discuss the realities of chronic illness like diabetes and the emotional toll it takes on a family. Additionally, Patty experiences social isolation and microaggressions at her new school: be ready to talk about the 'hair-touching' incident and why Patty feels she must work twice as hard to prove she belongs.
Ideal Reader
A 12-year-old 'over-achiever' or 'eldest daughter' figure who feels responsible for everyone's happiness and needs a reminder that it is okay to be a kid.
Parent Prep
Read the chapters involving the track meet emergency to help process the fear Patty feels about health scares. A child expressing that they feel they have to be 'the strong one' or hiding their stress because they don't want to worry an already-burdened parent.
Age Experience
Younger readers will focus on the excitement of the races and the sisterly bond. Older readers will resonate with the complex social dynamics of the private school and Patty's internal struggle with grief.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many sports books that focus purely on the win, Reynolds uses the relay race as a profound metaphor for interdependence and shared burdens.
Read plot summary
Patina (Patty) Jones is the fastest girl on the Defenders track team. Since her father died and her mother lost both legs due to complications from diabetes (the 'sugar'), Patty and her sister live with their aunt and uncle (Momly and Uncle Tony). Patty attends a prestigious private school where she feels like an outsider and faces subtle microaggressions. The story follows her journey as she trains for a 4x800 relay, manages her anxiety about her mother's health, and learns that she doesn't have to carry the world on her shoulders.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Patty says she doesn't run for herself, she runs for her mom. How does that motivation help her, and how does it make things harder?
2
Why does Patty find it so difficult to trust her teammates in the relay race compared to running solo?
3
At her new school, Patty feels like she is 'represented' but not 'included.' What is the difference between those two things in her experience?
4
Uncle Tony tells Patty that 'you can't be everyone's legs.' What does he mean by this, and how does Patty finally learn to accept help?
5
How does Patty's relationship with her younger sister, Maddy, change as Patty starts to deal with her own stress?
