1/7/13 5:28 PMAn Unstoppable Talent | TIME For Kids

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NEWS

SEPTEMBER 26, 2012 By TFK Kid Reporter Zachary J. Lewis

KID REPORTER SCOOPS

An Unstoppable TalentTFK talks to NFL player Tim Green about his new book

JULIA PEMBERTON—CT CHALLENGETFK Kid Reporter Zachary Lewis with Jeffrey Keith, left, and Unstoppable author Tim Green.

Former NFL player and children’s author Tim Green has added another book to his list ofaccomplishments: Unstoppable. The book tells the story of a 12-year-old boy namedHarrison, who survives life in a cruel foster home before he finally finds a loving family.Once he settles in and realizes his natural football ability, tragedy strikes again and he loseshis leg to a devastating bone cancer. Unstoppable follows Harrison’s incredible journey ashe faces many challenges in his life.

Talking to Tim Green

Tim Green says he decided to write a novel about akid facing cancer after watching first-hand how hiswife fought to survive her own illness. “Her mentaland physical toughness were more heroic to me thananything I’d ever seen in the national sports leagues,”Green told TFK Kid Reporter Zachary J. Lewis.

After watching his wife’s battle, Green said, he knewhe needed to write about a person who struggledthrough a serious illness. But because the target agefor his books is preteens, he needed to tell the storythrough the eyes of someone that age.

An Inspiring Story

When friends introduced Green to Jeffrey Keith,Green knew he had found the right person to help him“capture the heroism that it takes to fight cancer.”Cancer-survivor Jeffrey Keith lost his leg to disease at age twelve, but went on to be thegoalie for the Boston College Division 1 lacrosse team and was also the first amputee to run3,300 miles across the country. When Green heard Jeffrey Keith’s story, he knew it was theperfect narrative on which to base his next book.

TFK asked Keith what it felt like to read Unstoppable for the first time. “Tim captured what itfelt like for me to go through this experience and battle back,” Keith said. “After I read thebook, Tim asked me to describe it in one word, and I said ‘awesome.’ Tim’s book sends amessage to all the kids across the country that are facing obstacles that can have nothing

1/7/13 5:28 PMAn Unstoppable Talent | TIME For Kids

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to do with cancer: You are all unstoppable, as long as you believe it.”