I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A man blind from birth and a young Golden Retriever puppy come together, never knowing they would capture the world’s attention by achieving the impossible and surviving one of the United States deadliest terrorist attacks in author Michael Hingson and Jeanette Hanscome’s “Running with Roselle”.

The Synopsis 

A puppy who became a true American hero. The blind boy who let nothing stop him. When they finally grew up and met, it was magic. On September 11, 2001, a blind man escaped the World Trade Center by walking down 78 flights of stairs with his guide dog. Days later, America fell in love with Mike and Roselle, and the special bond that helped them survive. Mike shared his story in the New York Times bestselling book, Thunder Dog.

Now, in Running With Roselle, kids can follow Roselle as she grows from an energetic yellow Lab prone to stealing her puppy raiser’s slippers to a confident guide dog who passes the ultimate test when her partner needs her most. Meet Mike, a boy blind from birth who excels in public school, shocks the neighbors by riding his bicycle through the streets of Palmdale, CA, drives a car around his college campus, and uses his relationship of trust and teamwork with Roselle to help others on a day that changed America forever.

The Review

As an eleven-year-old boy, I remember waking up on September 11th, in the hours before the rest of my family woke, and I watched from my home in Southern California as the attacks on the World Trade Center took place. The fear and anxiety that I felt at that moment, as well as the heartbreak at the people hurt or worse in those attacks being played over and over again on TV, broke my heart and made me cling to my family more than ever before. Yet I always have known that I could never hold a candle to the people who experienced that day firsthand or the families of those who were affected by that terrible day.

The authors did such an amazing job of finding the right balance between the grim reality of that day’s events with the more detailed backstory of both Mike and Roselle. The creative direction this nonfiction read took by sharing both Mike and Roselle’s perspectives and histories was great to read, as it gave a depth of character to the nonfiction events playing out over the narrative.

Yet what really struck me was the harmonic way the author shared multiple themes and stories with the audience. The overall theme of Mike and Roselle’s fight to survive that horrible attack was the prevailing story here, but the authors hone in on Mike and Roselle’s developing relationships, as well as the process of becoming a guide dog and the things that people born or made blind want the world to know and understand through Mike’s backstory, made this such a well-rounded narrative overall.

The Verdict

Haunting, chilling, and engaging, authors Michael Hingson and Jeanette Hanscome’s “Running with Roselle” is a must-read book. Terrifying yet inspiring, the authors not only highlight the pain, the struggle, and the horrors of that awful day, but show the camaraderie, strength, and courage it took for not only Mike and Roselle to survive the events but how they helped others and bonded with other survivors to get out of the building before it was too late. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

When the World Trade Center was attacked on 9-11, it was as though the world stood still. It was a day that captured our full attention. Michael Hingson and his Guide Dog Roselle were on the 78th floor of Tower One that day, and were able to make their way to safety and survive the attack. The duo was immediately thrust into the international spotlight, becoming well-known representatives of the strength of the human/animal bond and a living example of the powerful partnership that exists between a blind person and their Guide Dog. In 2002 Michael joined the Guide Dogs for the Blind team as the National Public Affairs director, to share his story throughout the world on behalf of the school. In June of 2008 Michael left Guide Dogs to form The Michael Hingson Group to continue his speaking career as well as to serve as a consultent for corporations and organizations that need assistance with Inclusive and Diversity training as well as adaptive technology training.

Michael Hingson is available for speaking engagements, public appearances, consulting and training contract positions and media interviews.

Jeanette Hanscome is the author of five books and hundreds of articles, devotions, and stories. She has contributed to over a dozen books, including Guideposts All God’s Creatures and Mornings with Jesus 2019. Her most recent book, Suddenly Single Mom: 52 Messages of Hope, Grace, and Promise, is described as a devotional that reads like a memoir. This year, she returned to her love of writing fiction. She is now in the process of writing the first of two novels for Annie’s Fiction.

Jeanette serves on the leadership team for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference and thoroughly enjoys equipping writers through workshops, critiques, and one-on-one coaching. When she isn’t writing, Jeanette gravitates toward all things creative, including singing, creative lettering, knitting and crochet, and (the newest addition) learning ukulele.