Sourcebooks and Make-A-Wish® Illinois Team Up to Make Eighth-Grade Girl’s Dream Come True
13-Year-Old Plainfield Girl Battling Cystic Fibrosis Will Publish a Children’s Book
Ravina Thakkar, an eighth-grader at Heritage Grove Middle School in
Plainfield, IL, loves to dance, listen to music,
and write stories. She excels in school and dreams of being a published
author someday. But that someday is here, thanks to the help and
dedication of her social worker, her wish granters at Make-A-Wish® Illinois, and Naperville-based book publisher
Sourcebooks.
Ravina
has cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening medical condition affecting
both her lungs and digestive system. Ravina’s disease
has not defined her, and more importantly, has not stopped her from
pursuing her dreams. She was 11 when she won first place in the 2011
Plainfield Great Read writing contest for her short story, “A Magical
Thing.” Referred to Make-A-Wish® Illinois by her
hospital social worker, she was then connected with Sourcebooks, and in
the two years since, Ravina and her family have seen her dream become a
reality.
Through
Sourcebooks, Ravina has experienced everything a published author does,
such as working with editors and designers to revise
the manuscript and the design of the jacket art. On Dec. 3, Ravina’s
completed book, a middle-grade novel titled
The Adventure of a Lifetime, a story she wrote when she was only
8-years-old, will be released in trade paperback—right on time for her
14th birthday on Dec 4. Ravina’s experience will be rounded out with a
complete marketing and publicity campaign and
a book signing at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville on Dec. 8 at 1 p.m.
The Adventure of a Lifetime
tells
the story of Betty, a 9-year-old girl who thinks her life is pretty
boring until she finds herself fighting battles alongside a fearless
character from her favorite fiction series. As they race from one danger
to the next, Betty learns that being a sidekick
is no piece of cake and that being an action hero comes at a cost. Will
Betty ever be able to return to her old life? Written for 9–12 year
olds,
The Adventure of a Lifetime will be available for purchase wherever books are sold.
And like the characters in her story, Ravina’s life will never be the same.
About Sourcebooks
Sourcebooks
is creating the next evolution of a book publishing company. We are
committed to innovative publishing, to exploring every platform, and to
creating breakthrough
models. We truly believe that books have the power to touch people and
change lives. Sourcebooks is home to 120 enthusiastic book-loving
employees who are dedicated to finding new ways to connect with authors,
readers, and ideas. We publish over 300 new titles
each year, and are honored to have 42 New York Times bestsellers. Sourcebooks is proud to be one of the largest woman-owned book publishers in the country. Visit
sourcebooks.com
for more information, and check out the
Sourcebooks blog.
About Make-A-Wish® Illinois
Since
1985, Make-A-Wish Illinois has granted more than 11,000 wishes to
children across the state with the support of 1,400 volunteers
and numerous donors and other supporters. Make-A-Wish®
Illinois grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical
conditions to enrich their lives with hope, strength, and joy.
About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic
fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and
digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults
in the United States. Today, advances in research and medical
treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and
adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into
their 30s, 40s, and beyond.