I Am Darn Tough
by Licia Morelli, Maine Diaz (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars

A girl begins running a race. But she falls and scrapes her knee. She gets a cramp in her side. She has to call up all her fortitude to continue the race. She discovers strength within herself, both internal strength and outward strength to keep going.

This story is told in a few concise and powerful words. I love the progression of the race as the girl starts out strong and confident, but begins to lose hope when the race is too hard. Then she finds her inner strength again and pushes through to the end of the race with joy. It’s very emotional and beautiful!

I love the illustrations! The lines are delicate but strong. The colors are clean and bright. Each scene is full of movement, and really enhances the story. You can feel the girl’s determination in the set of her mouth and the drawing together of her eyebrows. Her face is so expressive, and the action as she runs flows wonderfully in the artwork. I love the details like each strand of her hair or the lines in a blade of grass as she runs through the trees.

This girl is fierce, and I love her story of courage and determination!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.