Rescue & Jessica

by Jessica Kensky

When he is paired with a girl who has lost her legs, Rescue worries that he isn't up to the task of being her service dog.

Big Idea

True partnership is built on mutual support, resilience, and the courage to adapt when life takes an unexpected turn. Through the bond between Jessica and her service dog, Rescue, students learn that overcoming challenges is easier when we rely on those who care for us.

Discussion Questions

1.How did both Rescue and Jessica feel at the beginning of the story when their lives didn't go as planned?
2.Why was it important for Rescue to learn specific tasks to help Jessica, and how did that change their relationship?
3.What does it mean to be a 'team,' and how do Jessica and Rescue demonstrate this throughout the book?
4.How does the author show that Jessica’s life changed after her surgeries, and how did Rescue help her navigate those changes?
5.What can we learn from the way Jessica and Rescue 'start all over' after her second surgery?

Classroom Activity

The Teamwork Toolkit

Students will identify the specific ways Rescue supports Jessica and then brainstorm how they can be 'service partners' to their classmates, creating a 'Teamwork Toolkit' of supportive actions.

Lesson Plan

⏱ 45 minutes📦 Copy of 'Rescue & Jessica', chart paper, markers, construction paper, glue, scissors.

Learning Goals

Identify the role of a service animal in supporting independence.
Analyze how characters overcome adversity through perseverance.
Develop empathy by discussing the challenges of physical transitions.
Collaborate to define supportive behaviors in a classroom community.

Activity Steps

1.Read 'Rescue & Jessica' aloud, pausing to note the specific tasks Rescue performs for Jessica.
2.Create a T-chart on the board: 'What Rescue Does' vs. 'How Jessica Feels'.
3.Discuss how Rescue’s training allows Jessica to regain confidence.
4.In small groups, have students brainstorm 'service' actions they can perform for peers (e.g., helping someone carry books, listening when someone is sad).
5.Students create a 'Teamwork Toolkit' poster illustrating these supportive actions.
6.Share posters and commit to one 'teamwork' goal for the week.

Standards Connections

ELA: RL.K.3 (Describe characters and major events)
SEL: Relationship Skills (Building supportive relationships)
SEL: Social Awareness (Empathy for others)
ELA: SL.1.1 (Participate in collaborative conversations)

Pace-Write-Read Study with Pace-Write It!

In 'Rescue & Jessica,' the authors masterfully use pacing to mirror the emotional and physical journey of the protagonists. By alternating between the perspectives of a dog in training and a girl in recovery, the narrative creates a rhythmic 'dance' that slows down during moments of frustration and speeds up during moments of connection and success. This structure teaches students that pacing is not just about speed, but about emotional resonance. Students will learn how to use 'narrative beats'—the small, specific actions that show character growth—to control the reader's experience. By studying how Kensky and Downes handle the 'start all over' moments, writers can learn to use pacing to signal major life transitions, showing that even when a story hits a 'cliffhanger' or a setback, the pacing can shift to reflect resilience and hope.

Element	How to notice or teach it in the novel
Pace	Notice how the pace slows during Jessica's hospital recovery and speeds up when she and Rescue finally bond.
Plot	The plot follows a parallel structure where both characters must overcome the fear of not being 'enough' for their new roles.
Prosody	Read the dialogue between Jessica and her family with a gentle, encouraging tone to reflect the book's supportive atmosphere.
Word Pause	Use pauses after the mention of Jessica's surgeries to allow the gravity of the situation to sink in for the reader.
Concept	The core concept is the 'life-changing friendship' that turns individual struggle into shared strength.
Voice & World View	The voice is hopeful and honest, reflecting the real-life experiences of the authors who have lived this journey.
Setting & Place	The setting shifts from the training facility to the hospital and finally to the home, marking the stages of their partnership.
Point of View	The story shifts between Rescue’s internal thoughts and Jessica’s external reality, creating a dual-perspective narrative.
Original Characters	Rescue is a unique character because he has his own 'career' goals that he must adapt, just like a human.
Dialogue	Dialogue is sparse but meaningful, focusing on the encouragement Jessica receives from those around her.
Details	Focus on the specific physical tasks Rescue learns, like picking up dropped items, to show his utility.
Descriptions	The descriptions of the prosthetic legs are handled with sensitivity, focusing on the function and the adjustment process.
Strong First Lines	The opening establishes Rescue's expectations, creating an immediate contrast with his eventual reality.
Immediacy & Engagement	The book engages readers by showing the immediate, tangible impact of a service dog on daily life.
Story Scenes & Summaries & Unique Structures	The structure uses parallel scenes to show the two characters moving toward each other before they meet.
Flashback & Flash Forward & Cliffhangers	The second surgery acts as a narrative cliffhanger that forces the characters to reset their progress.
Tension & Suspense & Surprise	Tension is built through the uncertainty of whether Rescue will succeed in his training and whether Jessica will adapt.
Page Turns and Chapter Breaks	Use page turns to reveal the new, positive ways Rescue helps Jessica after a difficult scene.
Performance	Read the book with a steady, calm rhythm to match the supportive nature of a service dog.
Personality	Rescue is portrayed as loyal and intuitive, while Jessica is portrayed as resilient and brave.
Humor	Light moments of Rescue being a 'frisky' puppy provide necessary relief from the heavier themes.
Pause	Pause before the reveal of the second surgery to prepare the reader for the emotional shift.
Poetry and Poetic Devices	The repetition of 'You rescued me, Rescue' acts as a poetic refrain that anchors the story.
Repetition	The repetition of the phrase 'start all over' emphasizes the theme of resilience.
Rhythm	The rhythm of the text mimics the steady, reliable presence of a service dog.
Punctuation	Notice how dashes are used to add extra thoughts, mirroring the way life adds unexpected turns.
Questions	The book asks the reader to consider what it means to be 'enough' for a task.
Compare-Contrast	Compare the initial fears of the dog with the initial fears of the girl.
Objects	The prosthetic leg is a central object that represents both the challenge and the path to independence.
Threes	The story follows three stages: the initial struggle, the meeting, and the 'starting over' phase.
Whitespace & Negative Space	The illustrations use space to highlight the isolation Jessica feels before she meets Rescue.
Art & Graphics	The art style is warm and inviting, making the difficult subject matter accessible to young children.
Interactives & Gamification	The book invites readers to 'spot' the ways Rescue helps, turning the reading into an observational game.

Pace-Write It!

In 20 minutes, have students write a 'Before and After' scene. First, describe a character facing a small challenge (e.g., learning to tie shoes). Then, introduce a 'partner' (a friend, a pet, or a tool) and rewrite the scene to show how the pace of the character's success changes once they have support.