Sophia has been training hard for a long time for an important competition coming up in a few months: the Special Olympics. Sophia is a weightlifter who spends three days a week (her favorite days!) training to compete in the events of squats, bench presses, and deadlifts. She likes it because she’s good at it, but even more so, she loves going to the gym to spend time with all of her friends there.

Yet one day, the easy lifting vibe in the gym is upset with the arrival of a new girl, Blue. Blue is definitely strong, which is great for fending off the bullies she has to deal with, but along with her brightly colored hair, she’s also sporting an enormous attitude—one that gets in the way of her moving forward on so many levels, and one that is a potential problem for the folks at the gym.

Will the weight of the new dynamic at the gym affect Sophia’s progress?
Will Blue be able to lift herself out of her troubles?

Level 1
Unique Words: 276
Total Words: 5,700
Tense(s): présent
Glossary: yes

©2022. French. Level 1. Middle school, high school. 5 x 8 inches. Softcover, 62 pages plus glossary.

About the Author

Jennifer Degenhardt taught middle and high school Spanish for 24 years. She decided to combine her language skills with storytelling, specifically involving kids and culture. Her books highlight cultural, social, economic, and political themes necessary for continued conversation, both inside and outside the classroom. She hopes her stories will provide a platform for discussion, as anything can be solved—to some degree—with a conversation.