Bridge Jumping

In Bridge Jumping, the reader meets Jaime Sawyer at the end of sixth grade. Jaime has two best friends, Hannah and Jess, but she also has aspirations of someday sitting at the cool table in the school cafeteria. She loves life and adventure and prides herself in being a daredevil. Jaime's uncomplicated innocence is shattered early in the seventh grade when she undergoes a traumatic experience, becomes ill and is forced to miss three months of school. During this time she recognizes the face in the mirror less and less as she struggles to hold on to the image of herself as a brave daredevil. The reader is welcomed inside Jaime's head and heart as she deals with the scary reality of living with Graves Disease. Jaime is frank and honest about how it feels to lose sight of the healthy girl she was.When she returns to school, she discovers the worst of the experience has yet to come. While she was out, rumors had abounded about where she was, and why she was gone. She finds herself in a very different place, socially - the cool table not only seems impossibly far away now, it's no longer even a thought in her head. The only thing she can think about is getting through each day - the teasing and name calling - and getting back to the safety of her home. By the end of the book, Jaime comes to realize that all she really needs to survive the treacherous journey of middle school is the love and support of her family, a true, strong belief in herself and one good friend. For those who have been through similar experiences, Jaime's journey may be comforting. For others, perhaps it will be eye-opening - shedding light on the ramifications of one's words and actions.