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Zara's Final Lap
by My Book Hub Team
An illustrated adventure book for ages 9-12. Read the first pages free, then join to read it all.
Genre: adventure
For ages 9-12
A peek inside
Zara bounced on her toes at the edge of the starting field, her short dark curls tucked under a bright red headband. She wore a blue team jersey and black running shorts that matched the rest of her mixed squad. The regional cross-country course stretched ahead through green hills and winding dirt paths under a gray sky. Zara loved the smell of damp earth and the way her legs felt ready after months of practice. As captain, she checked her watch and grinned at her teammates. Emma stood nearby with her brown hair in a tight ponytail, adjusting her green running kit. Theo, freckled and tall for twelve, waved with a big smile. Liora, the youngest at ten with her hair in neat braids, stretched her long legs. “Today we run as one,” Zara said. The starting horn would sound soon. Everyone lined up with hearts thumping.
The horn blasted and the pack surged forward onto the first trail. Zara settled into a steady pace beside Emma, Theo, and Liora, their feet pounding the firm dirt. Early hills rose gently, and the team stayed close as other runners spread out. Then dark clouds opened without warning. Cold rain poured down in sheets, turning the path slick within minutes. Zara felt a sharp twinge in her right knee but shook her head and kept going. “Stay together!” she called over the drumming drops. Mud splashed up their legs as they rounded a bend. Theo gave a thumbs up even as water streamed down his face. Liora pulled slightly ahead, then slowed to match them. The course grew harder with every step, yet the finish still lay far ahead through the trees. They had two long loops left before the final stretch.
More books for ages 9-12
- The New Girl's Flashlight Tag
- Faces in the Dawn Ice
- New Girl on Maple Lane
- Fossil Hunt Surprise
- Foxfire Secrets on the Moor
- Riff and the Hidden Jazz Clubs
