Second Chances

by Harriet Zaidman

Thirteen-year-old Dale Melnyk finds himself stuck in an iron lung, desperately fighting for breath — and wishing he could die. It is the worst outbreak of polio in the history of Winnipeg, and Dale is one of the many young victims being treated in the early 1950s.Second Chances follows Dale's slow and often agonizing struggle to regain his life, first of all to breathe on his own and then to regain the use of his limbs. Will he ever be able to play hockey again, he wonders? Dale comes to realize that he is doing better than a number of the other patients including Charlene, a young Métis girl confined to a wheelchair but always trying to help their fellow patients.

When Dale discovers his younger brother Brent is also in the polio ward because their father rejected the school program vaccine, a confrontation with his father becomes inevitable. Brent is not getting better and will be dealing with paralysis indefinitely.

When Dale finally emerges from his recovery he must reassess what is most important in life — a life that has been changed forever.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Canada

181 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2021

Reviews

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually learned so much from this book and it was all stuff I’d barely heard of 🤓

[Gabriele Goldstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hockey, polio, and racism all in one book. I learned so much about the 1950s polio pandemic and about my own city of Winnipeg's Rooster Town. This was a fascinating read and I highly recommend, especially with our own pandemic still raging. The YA novel is the second locally set book by Harriet Zaidman and I hope she continues to explore and share history in such an engaging way. I'm not an educator but I'm certain they will love it as much as I did.

[MaryLou Driedger · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a timely book! Even though the author Harriet Zaidman finished writing it before the current pandemic began the novel gives readers a look at how a previous pandemic, the polio epidemic was handled, and parallels with our current health crisis abound.
The author's in-depth research makes the hospital scenes almost too real as you learn what it would have been like to be in an iron lung. The hero Dale is so likable and I loved the touch of romance in the story as well as the brotherly bond between Dale and his brother Brent.
The book is set in my hometown of Winnipeg and not only do you learn about the King George Hospital where the city's polio patients were treated but also about Rooster Town a Metis settlement here at the time. You also learn about the Winnipeg Tribune, a local Winnipeg paper in the 50s and Terry Sawchuk an NHL player from Winnipeg. I loved all the little things in the book that made the 50s come alive for the reader, like using a card catalog to find a library book, listening to hockey games on the radio and homes heated by coal furnaces.
Second Chances provides an interesting and informative way to learn about the 50s era and could serve as a discussion starter for conversations with young people about our current pandemic.

[Brenda Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope this book finds its way into every secondary school library in the country. It's an engaging read, with wonderful characters and a complex, moving story about so much more than the polio epidemic in the 1950s. Readers will quickly empathize with the main character Dale, a teen hockey player whose only goal is to play goal for his team, and ultimately, the NHL. Instead, polio knocks him off the ice and into an iron lung, fighting for his life. As he recuperates, he learns the value of integrity, of caring for those around him, and for standing up for what he believes in. His friendship with another patient, Charlene, also opens his eyes to the prejudice that the Metis community faces. Dale faces his own challenges as he struggles to recover from the disease that is devastating his own family, including his younger brother, and others in the community. I would highly recommend this book to any young adults, and in fact, to any adult. Wonderfully written, well-paced and plotted, this book chronicles an important period in Canadian history.

[Jean Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Chances takes historical events and turns them into a gripping story of a boy's journey through the devastating effects of polio, not just the effects on himself, but on his family, friends and community (1950s Winnipeg) as well.The historical detail is precise. It's also frighteningly familiar as we live through this COVID-19 pandemic experience. What a timely, well-researched and compelling read - for adults as well as for young readers.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel about an epidemic that I didn’t know as I had the vaccine when I was a baby. It was interesting to make connections with our current situation with Covid-19. I really enjoyed the characters development throughout the story. It would be a great book for a book study in class. For grade 7 or 8.

[Mindy Barsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful mosaic of love, compassion and the art of medicine, Second Chances is a story that takes place during the polio epidemic in the 1950's but its' charachters and their messages are timeless.

[Pam Withers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This well-researched novel has much perspective to offer kids during COVID times, given its history of the polio epidemic in the 1950s. Told in third person through the eyes of a 13-year-old, it’s well plotted with believable characters and circumstances, even if the writing itself is a bit lackluster.
We learn that prejudices, misinformation and vaccine hesitancy were rife in the 1950s. And we’re immersed in history while gaining insight into parallel issues in the age of COVID.
The well-drawn subplot of the main character’s fraught relationship with a Metis girl also has echoes of racism in current times. The would-be romance offers appeal to young adult readers even if it’s more of a middle-grade read.
Although the main character is passionate about hockey, there is very little hockey action in the book (despite the hockey cover); it’s far more about children struggling with polio.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot of “information dumping” that doesn’t tie into the plot altogether naturally. And unless one has read the back-cover summary before starting, it takes way too long to figure out that the novel is set in the 1950s and the main character is in grade eight.
Overall, despite the plot having more to offer than the actual writing, the timing of this historical novel is prescient, and the depth of research lends much credibility.
This review also appears at https://yadudebooks.ca/

[Stacey Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Winnipeg during the Polio epidemic of the 1950's, it tells the story of two brothers, Dale and Brent who recently lost their mother. Dale loves hockey and his As they are grieving her loss, they both get Polio and are sent to the hospital where they both spend time in an iron lung on a children's ward.

Although the setting of Winnipeg may be familiar to readers, the timeframe and polio epidemic likely will not be. The dismantling of the Metis community of Rooster Town may also be a part of history that many readers will not know about. But the fear of contracting a virus, the varying opinions about vaccines, the isolation and frustration during recovery, sibling bonds, and the kindness that can be found in humanity are relatable and make this story one that MG readers may connect with.

[Dorothy Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book quite interesting to read because I lived through these events in the places mentioned in the book. I recognized the names of people referred to in the acknowledgments. Gwen Stewart was my grade three teacher!
There are a number of parallels in this book between what was happening then and what’s happening now: polio epidemic and Covid-19 pandemic; to vaccinate or not; treatment of the Métis people in general and in Rooster Town and indigenous peoples.
Harriet is to be commended for her research in order to write this book and make it both appealing and informative for the reader.

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Winnipeg in the 1950s during the Polio epidemic, Second Chances is a strong historical fiction novel that also touches on racist attitudes prevalent at the time. Dale's hockey superstar aspirations are drastically altered when he contracts Polio. While in the hospital, Dale makes friends with other children, all facing similar health battles, including a young Metis girl that expands Dale's understandings of the world around him.

I think students in grades 5-8 will enjoy Second Chances by Winnipeg author Harriet Zaidman.

Second Chances is a 2023 MYRCA Northern Lights nominee.

[EvSieben · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have rated this book a bit differently than I usually would as I want to do so from the young reader perspective, as the intended audience. The story is meant to teach young people some local history while incorporating some age old societal issues that are prevalent today such as racism, discrimination, and vaccination hesitancy. I liked that the story was told from a young voice dealing with some heavy issues. Being told in this way could be more relatable for young readers which could generate some deeper discussions and could be used as a springboard to further learning. Well done Harriet!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting since it’s setting was in Winnipeg, where I live currently. I learned a lot about Winnipeg‘s history. It touched on the racism of the time, and how some people didn’t trust doctors because they used to charge for healthcare and thought doctors were just trying to get rich. Mostly, it described how it felt to be affected by polio as a child, how it felt to be on an iron lung.

[Gigill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I thought the author did a great job with research and detail and wrote a believable, heartwarming story about children and their struggles with polio. I was not old enough to live through polio so appreciated the perspective going through the pandemic right now. I am interested in learning more about Rooster Town as well. Thanks for the great read!

[Fatma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The award winning title (Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People) was informative and engaging. This book explores the effects of polio in a small Canadian community- from the kids to the parents and even historical injustices on the Métis- from racism to the destruction of Rooster Town.

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this was a fantastic book, and I loved the writing and characters, I found myself a little disappointed with how it just... Ends. The topic is relevant to what we're seeing today, with Covid, and the story itself had me hooked for how interesting all of the dynamics were, but the ending felt too abrupt and I was left wanting far more.

[Mikayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75*

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the theme of this book is excellent and well researched, but I couldn’t connect with the writing.