Winner of two Christopher Awards and the Golden Kite Award: This national bestseller is the true story of a girl with cerebral palsy and the family that wouldn't give up on her In 1940, when Karen Killilea was born three months premature and developed cerebral palsy, doctors encouraged her parents to put her in an institution and forget about her. At the time, cerebral palsy was considered untreatable, and institutionalization was the only recourse. However, in a revolutionary act of faith and love, the Killileas never gave up hope that Karen could lead a successful life. Karen is the profound and heartwarming account of an extraordinary young girl's triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds. Written by Karen's mother, Marie, this larger-than-life story tells of a family's courage, patience, and struggle in the face of extreme difficulty. It is also a story of their achievements: Marie's activism spread awareness of the mistreatment of disabled people in America and lead to the formation of multiple foundations, including United Cerebral Palsy. Her greatest reward, however, was also her greatest miracle: Karen herself.
"A wonderful story of human courage, patience, and triumph. But you'll want to read it most for Karen's own words: 'I can walk, I can talk. I can read. I can write. I can do anything.'"
The New York Times
"A warm and winning and spirited account of a young mother's attempt to overcome the liabilities of cerebral palsy, and to refute the first medical verdict that her little girl would have 'an existence but no life' . . . A gallant account, in very human terms."
Kirkus Reviews
"Extraordinary is the word to be used first, last, and repeatedly about this book. . . . Anyone who meets Karen, even on paper, will postpone resigning from the human race."
