Anita Saxena

Double Axel or Nothing Anita Saxena

Twelve-year-old Ruby Rani longs to be the next U. S. Figure Skating National Champion like her idols Michelle Kwan and Alysa Liu. Most that reach this elite level of skating can do triple jumps by the time they turn thirteen. Ruby Rani's thirteenth birthday is just weeks away, but she can't even land a double axel-a jump she's been failing at for the past seventeen months. If she can't do a double axel by the end of the summer, her coach won't allow her to compete at the regional championships. Without regionals, there's no hope of making it to nationals. It doesn't help that a voice in her head keeps telling her she can't do it. To make matters worse, her parents seem indifferent about her ambitions. They only care about her brother making a perfect score on the ACT and their busy dental practice. Is it possible to achieve a dream when no one believes in you?