McKenna, Ready to Fly!

American Girl: McKenna #2

by Mary Casanova, Brian C. Hailes (Illustrator)

When Seattle fourth-grader McKenna Brooks’ cast comes off she dives back into gymnastics training in hopes of making the competitive team, but after volunteering at a therapeutic horseback riding center, she considers broadening her interests.

After McKenna suffers an injury that causes her to worry about her place on the Shooting Star competitive gymnastics team, she tries to help her tutor, Josie, overcome her fear of horseback riding, but as McKenna and Josie become closer friends, one of McKenna's teammates gets jealous.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Sports, Juvenile

124 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2011

About the author

Mary Casanova is an award-winning children's author of novels and picture books. Many of her books stem from her life on the Minnesota-Canadian border; yet some of her stories have taken her as far away as France, Norway, and Belize for research. Whatever the setting for her books, Casanova writes stories that matter--and stories that kids can't put down.

Her book awards include: American Library Association "Notable," Aesop Accolades by the American Folklore Society, Parents' Choice "Gold" Award, Booklist Editor Choice, and two Minnesota Book Awards. Her books frequently land on state children's choice book master lists across the country. "The greatest reward for me," Casanova states, "is when a young reader tells me she or he loves one of my books. For me, it's all about communicating writer-to-reader through a character and story."

Casanova grew up in a family of ten children in St. Paul, Minnesota. In a bustling camp-like atmosphere, Casanova found that writing became her voice. "Words are my paintbrush," she explains, "my way of exploring the world around me."

Now, with 19 books published and many more under contract and forthcoming, she divides her time between writing and traveling. Nationally and internationally, at schools and conferences, Casanova shares her love of writing and reading with children and adults.

Her newest novel, The Klipfish Code, makes use of Mary's on-site research in Norway. The story explores an important facet of Norwegian history through the experiences of Marit, a 12-year-old Norwegian girl who finds a way to fight against the 5-year Nazi occupation of Norway. Marit and her brother Lars are separated from their parents (who are working for the Resistance) and sent to live on an island with their gruff grandfather and school teacher aunt. During the course of the story, Marit's aunt is one of the Norwegian school teachers that gets sent to a concentration camp for refusing to integrate Nazi propaganda into her classroom. With potential danger waiting every turn, Marit finds a way to help the Resistance and eventually reunite her family.

Mary's series, Dog Watch (Simon and Schuster) is based on her northern Minnesota village where dogs are allowed to roam free—as long as they don't get in trouble. If they get in trouble, they earn a sticker on their page at the village clerk's office; too many stickers and a trouble-making dog must remain at home. "I never know where the next story will come from. It’s a delight when the stories come right from this corner of the world I call home." She makes her home in a 100-year old house on Rainy Lake with her husband, Charles, and their three "above average" dogs and spends free time with their horses, Jay and Midnight.

Reviews

[Eva B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

McKenna full series review:
Not for me, like, at all. But I'm sure someone really likes her books. I just found them boring. Her tutor was by far the best character.

[Alyssa Hanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

McKena, Ready to Fly! by Mary Casanova is a continuation to the book McKenna about a gymnast who broke her ankle during a gymnastics showcase two months before competitive team tryouts. McKenna had been struggling in school so Mr.With brought her a tutor who McKenna is continuing to do well with, her grades are also really good with all the time to focus on school because she is not doing gymnastics while injured. Also her friends found out that she was lying to them about extra practice and they found out she was actually being tutored. It took a while but in the end her friends and teammates forgave her. McKenna had been focusing on one day, the day she would get her cast removed. Marking every day down on the calendar McKenna realizes the date getting her cast removed is coming soon, she is very excited. The day had finally came and McKenna was getting her cast off. Has she healed? Will she be able to keep her grades up if she can do gymnastics? Will she make the competitive team? Will she continue to have a tutor that has become her friend? Have all these questions answered by reading McKenna, Ready to Fly by Mary Casanova.

[Marian · Rating 3 out of 5]

My only real problem with the McKenna books is that one of the big plot points involves McKenna's friend, Toulane, being rather snitty towards McKenna. Instead of ever talking to Toulane (whom I assumed was her friend outside of gymnastics)... McKenna just sort of wonders idly why Toulane might be upset with her when she shows interest in other things... usually after observing Toulane's incredibly overbearing mother be incredibly overbearing. :P Also, McKenna never seems to hang out with her friends outside of school or the gym (or, once it's introduced, the riding center) and never talks to Toulane about her sister's accident.

Honestly, McKenna's kind of a bad friend in a lot of respects. Which isn't all that unusual in that she's at a certain stage in her life where a lot of things are going on and she's only so old so there's really only so much she can do up to a point. I'm not really sure younger kids would pick up on this or that it was intentional.

Anyway, McKenna's books are cute and fairly solid, friendship not withstanding, and immensely readable.

[Cassy J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think mckenna ready to fly was also a good book. i liked the first book a little better though. mckenna became really good friends with her turor, josie. josie is not able to walk and is only able to get around in a wheelchair. mckenna helps Josie a lot and josie has always wanted to go horseback riding but with her disibility, Josie thinks its inpossible. Mckenna is very optimistic and helped josie become more confident and decided to try riding a horse. josie ended up doing pretty well on the horse.
also, becuase of gymnasitcs, mckenna gets injured and tries to gain her strength and courgage in hopes to make it back to gymnastics to make it into the competitive team.
i think that mary cassanova is a wonderful writer and some of her books are mainly about people with disabilities. (i think that the message the author is trying to get across is children/people with disabilites are just like everybody else) i would definitally recommend this to girls, especially gymnasts and people who find it hard to believe in themself.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second half of McKenna's story is presented in McKenna, Ready to Fly! (though why wasn't that quote, which was important in the first book, present in this one? Also, where were McKenna's haikus?).

The handling of disability here seemed kind of odd--I guess from the first book I'd been thinking of McKenna as having a learning disability, but the way she interacts with and thinks about the kids with various disabilities she meets at the riding center makes it pretty clear she sees herself as not being one of them. (And she "graduates" from tutoring in this book, further suggesting that she was just having trouble with her assignments for a bit and isn't actually disabled.) There're some weird lines that come off as McKenna pitying the kids at the riding center, and some with an "I don't see your disability, I just see a person!" attitude, and they don't really get unpacked.

The illustrations here weren't the greatest--McKenna and her friends often looked much older than fourth graders.

At the end of the book, there's some info about real girls who worked to help others, as an inspirational thing, I guess. I didn't like how some of them were done, though. One talks about two classmates, one who had cancer, who collected and donated a bunch of hats for other sick kids, but the focus/praise/picture is all about the girl who didn't have cancer. Another is about a presumably-neurotypical girl (whose brother is autistic) who made and sold bracelets to raise money for autism research, with the goal stated multiple times as to "beat autism", which as an autistic reader I can say is a really hurtful and problematic phrasing.

Readers interested in gymnastics or horse details will find plenty of those topics here, but it's not a book I'd recommend for those looking for great disability rep.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book picks up where the last one left off, resolving ongoing plot threads and introducing some new ones. McKenna helps her friend Josie overcome her fear of horseback riding, and gets involved in volunteering at the horse ranch, which specializes in helping disabled people ride. The book has more preachy but earnest messages about disability, and McKenna deals with challenges in overcoming her sports injury, handling shifting friendship dynamics, and managing her time between school, gymnastics, and her new interests at the riding center.

The conflict between McKenna and one of her friends never gets adequately resolved, which I found disappointing, and the sports content continued to involve overly technical descriptions instead of engaging action. The characters also remain mostly flat. Josie seems well-developed to me, to the point where I can imagine how she would react and talk in different circumstances outside the book, but the rest of the characters are bound within their plot-fulfilling roles and seem very flat.

I'm glad I gave these books a chance as an adult, since they were moderately enjoyable, but I definitely didn't miss out on anything by skipping them when they released. This has nice messages and is a perfectly fine series for the target age group, but it has none of the heart, verve, or character development of the Mia series from a few years prior, which also had truly wonderful sports sequences. The Girl of the Year series flagged for so long after Mia and Chrissa, and I don't blame myself for giving up on it.

[Jaylynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A continuation of where we left off from McKenna, book one. She gets her cast off and works hard in gymnastics. She goes through a rough patch with Toulane but ends up making peace with her and Sierra and Josie. All three (Toulane, Sierra, McKenna) make the competitive team, but Toulane decides to finally tell her mom she wants to do rhythmic instead of artistic. Nice to see Toulane soften up and accept Josie, and a happy ending for all.

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This duology was the best one I’ve read yet from AG. I love the disability representation and how McKenna grew as an athlete, friend, and individual. Tbh I think we could all use a lesson from this series and even other ones. I’m glad she made the team and settled everything as well as she did. It wasn’t super deep plot wise, but it was a cute and super quick read

[Breely · Rating 3 out of 5]

The books were vwry good. I would recommend them to everyone.The only thing that upset me was the book and movie had some different things and deletwd amd added things.

[Anna]

I like this book because I like to do gymnastics and I have watched the movie and I love it.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's... fine. It's a pretty simple story with no big climax. It's struggles with friends and self. McKenna is almost too Ms. Perfect for me; not in abilities, but attitude.

[Anna Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Homeschool read aloud. Not my favorite AG story , but wholesome as always!

[rachelle lay · Rating 5 out of 5]

,I loved the book

,10 out 10

\I would love to read more books I used to not like to read but when I heard of this app I began to like to read

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet story! Although I have a hard time believing they're really 9 or 10 years old. I read it for my Olympic Bingo challenge (featuring gymnastics)

[Amanda Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the first one, a lot more growth for McKenna.

[Makenna]

This book was awesome for sure 5 stars

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

We enjoyed this book tremendously! Great story about determination and hard work, as well as the importance of following your heart and finding balance.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of both books in the McKenna series.

American Girl’s Girl of the Year 2012 is McKenna Brooks. In addition to a doll, which can be purchased on the American Girl website, there are also two books about this character: McKenna and McKenna, Ready to Fly! Both books are set in Seattle, Washington, and their storylines revolve around McKenna's struggles balancing her strong interest in gymnastics with the rest of her life, including friendships, family, and school.

In McKenna, McKenna's fourth grade teacher discovers she has trouble with reading comprehension and assigns her a tutor named Josie. Josie uses a wheelchair, a fact which makes McKenna nervous at first, until she realizes that having a disability doesn't mean Josie isn't capable in every other way. McKenna is still embarrassed that she needs a tutor, though, and must face the consequences when she can't tell her friends the truth. In McKenna, Ready to Fly!, McKenna works on gaining her strength back after an injury, in the hopes of making the competitive gymnastics team. She also helps Josie overcome her fear of horseback riding and begins volunteering at the stables where Josie rides as a means of adding balance to her life.

Both these books have the same wholesome sense of right and wrong as every other book published by American Girl, but as compared with last year's books about Kanani Akina, they come across as preachy. The "people with disabilities are just like everyone else" message is certainly valuable, but the way it's delivered in these stories is so heavy-handed and condescending. I love that the books involve a girl who uses a wheelchair, but why does her role in the story have to be to teach us that people who can't walk are people too? Do kids really not know this? And if they don't, would it not be more effective to show them through a character's actions, rather than have the characters spout forced platitudes? The second book handles the issue a little better than the first, but the tone never completely loses that annoying patronizing quality.

That major criticism aside, though, the books combine two topics beloved by many 9- and 10-year old girls - gymnastics and horseback riding. There are plenty of descriptions related to both sports, so that fans and participants of both will be equally satisfied. There is also a good amount of conflict among girlfriends, but very few boys anywhere in the story. The focus is really on McKenna's decisions and how they affect her immediate circle of friends, and on making a difference to the world, even if it means stepping outside one's comfort zone.

I like Mary Casanova's storytelling style, and I felt like I got to know McKenna's character really well. Parents who seek out books devoid of angst, kissing, and superficial concerns will find the McKenna books a welcome alternative to some of the heavier middle grade books out there, and a nice contemporary read-alike for American Girl's historical novels. I prefer the Kanani books, because I think the characters and setting in those were better-developed, but the McKenna books are solid stories as well.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

McKenna is so excited to finally be getting her cast off on Friday, but then Josie reveals that she plans to conquer her fear of horseback riding on Friday and McKenna volunteers to go with Josie. That means pushing back her doctor's appointment which makes Toulane even more grouchy than usual. McKenna loves the therapeutic riding center where Josie learns to ride. McKenna discovers that her gymnastics training and friendship with Josie have given her the best attitude for helping people with disabilities learn to ride. She enjoys the people and the feeling she gets when she's volunteering and suddenly, gymnastics doesn't seem so important anymore. McKenna realizes that she's found a nice balance between gymnastics, school, friendship and volunteering at the riding center. Toulane on the other hand is so focused on gymnastics that she's stopped speaking to McKenna or thinking about anyone else. Can McKenna help her friend find balance too? Can all of McKenna's friends get along? Who will make the competitive team?

This book bears a strong resemblance to Bravo, Mia but I found it less interesting because it was so focused on gymnastics and therapeutic horseback riding neither of which interest me. McKenna is too perky and optimistic for me but that's a personal preference. She seems a bit too wise for a ten-year-old. The writing isn't bad. The message comes through loud and clear in a hit you over the head way.

The illustrations are slightly better. McKenna looks 10 but Toulane still looks 19. In the final illustration, McKenna looks like Shawn Johnson. Coincidence?

[Lucia Espana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mackena is back with the team and cheering Josie on horseback riding as she is training for a competition. They go on a trip for the competition of Mackena. Mackena is ready for the competition. When she was in the competition she did a bad trick and hurt her leg. After Mackena hurt her leg she went to the hospital and the Doctor told her that she broke her legs and she was not going to be able to walk for a long time. She went back to her city and after a few months, she started doing exercise for her legs until she recovered from her leg and got back with the team. The characters did not change at all it was just Mackena, Josi, Mackenas friends and the doctor. The book did not change me in some major way because at first it was interesting but then it got boring and I didn't like it. I would recommend this book to my little cousin that's 9 years old. I think he would really enjoy this book.

[Kadee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the book McKenna, Ready to Fly is a good book for anyone. The book is about a girl named McKenna a 4th grader who loves gymnastics, but when one day she brakes her leg from doing a flip at a competition. When she gets a cast on her leg she is sacred that she will never be able to do gymnastics anymore. When she meets a girl named Jocie all her hopes come again and she has made one of her closest friends. The one thing is that Jocie is in a wheelchair permanently. McKenna helps her through these hard times and always puts a smile on Jocie's face. To see what happens to their friend ship once McKenna get's her cast off if they stay friends or not you will just have to read the book to find out about that.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book because it was very descriptive and based on a great story. It's a simple read with not too hard vocabulary. I recomend this book to 4th and 5th grade girls. This book is about a girl named Makenna, who is an amazing gymnast who has great friends but she thinks there friendship is slowly ending and is trying to fix it. Meanwhile she fell behind in school and now has a toutor but her toutor is also her best friend, now her toutor is going to a horse back riding place and Makenna is volentering out there now.

[Beth Pond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't fall head-over-heals with McKenna like I did with Mia. There were times when the narrative seemed spot on and other times, mostly in the dialogue, where the kids sounded very inauthentic. Also, while I appreciate that McKenna has a friend in a wheelchair and feel that disabilities were handled carefully, respectfully and tactfully in the novel, it seemed like the numerous references to Josie being in a wheelchair and being disabled made her a bit of a token.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a few days until McKenna gets her cats off! She is so excited. When Josie, McKenna's tutor is going on horseback, she changes her appointment to get her cast off to Monday.
McKenna is very nervous about the gymnastics tournament. She is afraid that she won't make it to the team.
This book is so good! It comes right after the book where McKenna breaks her ankle. You she read that book and then this one because they both are so good.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is so inspiring. if you think your life is hard, this book will make you think again. mckenna made me realize that i'm not the only one struggling with life's grasps.i'm along side many others that look as cool as me. but instead on the inside we're all just nervous,tired,desperate people and we're not alone.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that teaches the value of friendship, hard work, and compassion is a big winner in our house! McKenna works hard to get back to her dream of being on the competitive team while learning to balance friendships and school work too. She use her gifts to help others and finds value in teamwork and friendship.

[Cara · Rating 3 out of 5]

After all of McKenna's struggles in the previous book and everything she learns, I must admit I was pretty psyched to read this one. I don't think this one was as good, though. Somehow in this book, all the problems seem like really not that big a deal, and McKenna overcomes them with way too much grace and wisdom. It all seems too easy. Still a fun book, though.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this story shifts more onto Josie as she decides to try horsebackriding. Seeing McKenna come through for her friend is heartwarming and made her a lot more likable. I was sorry that the series ended here.

[Kaetlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the book. I like that McKenna wants to go with Josie to Hearts and Horses. I like when she goes there when ever she can. I like that she makes the competitive team and still goes to Hearts and Horses.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An American Girl gymnast must overcome an ankle injury, fear relating to physically-challenged children, anxiety over gymnastic tryouts, and emotional separation from a friend. She does all this with grace and helps others to do the same.