these books are about running. and these books are not about running.

MBH no. 29

May 23, 2024

When I first started consistently running 12 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. I ran a little bit in middle and high school, but was never very good–or very interested. But after having my son, I was searching for something I could do to get back in shape and take a break from the constant demands of new motherhood.

Because I’m always concerned about doing things the “right” way (much like one of the protagonists in our books today), I downloaded the Nike Run Club app and started listening to their guided runs, many of which are narrated by Chris Bennett, Nike’s Global Running head coach. Before I ever hired a real coach, I considered Coach Bennett my personal guide. 😉

He taught me the meaning of tempo runs, fartleks, intervals, and race pace efforts. He taught me how to run in the rain and the heat, how to get into a meditative flow, and how to find joy in every run, even the ones that feel too hard. I’ve heard him referred to as the “Ted Lasso” of running– he has an authentic cheesiness to him that I really lean into, even all these years later.

Coach Bennett has lots of sayings, but here’s my favorite:

“This is about running. And this is not about running.”

Over the years, I’ve overcome so many challenges by saying “Well, if I can run a marathon, I can do this.” Conversely, I’ve gotten through so many of the hard runs by thinking about obstacles I’ve faced and saying “Well, if I’ve gotten through THAT, then I can get through my run.”

Running has saved me in so many ways, and I only wish I had found it earlier.

The young protagonists in these three middle grade books do find it early, and through running, they learn how to navigate their lives and gain a deeper understanding of who they are and who they are meant to be.

So–these books are about running. And these books are not about running. Enjoy!

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✨P.S. My 12-year-old wanted me to tell you that he also read all three, and they were all 4 and 5-star reads for him. Ghost was his favorite. ✨

Keeping Pace, by Laurie Morrison (2024)

…I’m starting to think that success isn’t just one thing. People act like its some objective concept. Like everybody can agree that certain things mean a person has succeeded. But two weeks ago, running one slow lap around the nature trail would have seemed like nothing to me, and last Tuesday, it was capital A achievement.

To Celia, all As and Bs on her final exams was an accomplishment. To me, finishing eighth grade with the second-highest GPA felt like a failure, even though lots of people told me it shouldn’t.

Grace, a driven, perfectionistic middle schooler, has long dreamed of winning the “top scholar” prize at her 8th grade graduation. She knows that will be enough to impress her father, a successful author who doesn’t have much time for Grace or her older sister.

Grace’s former best friend, Jonah, is also vying for the top prize, and Grace is devastated when he wins. After receiving a rejection letter from an intensive writing camp, Grace has nothing to do over the summer. She’s uncomfortable without her checklists or measurable goals, so she decides to train for a half marathon.

Jonah has also signed up, and as the two reluctantly run together, they begin to work through the miscommunications that caused their rift in the first place. At the same time, Grace navigates changing relationships with her mother, sister, cousin, father, father’s girlfriend, and father’s girlfriend’s son!

There’s a lot going on here, but the narrative isn’t crowded. Grace’s voice and her experiences are so authentic– many middle school students will relate to the pressure she puts on herself to succeed and how her relationships seem more complicated as she gets older.

Through running, Grace slowly realizes her self-worth, that life is not all about “keeping pace”, and that success has more than one definition.

Recommended for ages 10-13

Ghost, Track Series Book 1, by Jason Reynolds (2017)

“Trouble is, you can't run away from yourself." Coach snatched the towel from his shoulder, folded into a perfect square, and set it in the space between us. "Unfortunately," he said, "ain't nobody that fast.”

The night Castle Cranshaw (nicknamed Ghost) learned how fast he could run was the night his father pointed a loaded gun at him and his mother--and started shooting. Since then, Ghost says, "running ain’t nothing I ever had to practice. It’s just something I knew how to do."

While wandering around after school, trying to avoid the trouble he so frequently attracts, Ghost sees a track team practicing in the park. He decides to race one of the sprinters, a particularly showy kid who immediately irks Ghost with his appearance and attitude.

When Coach Brody, a former Olympian, sees Ghost's natural talent, he invites him to join the Defenders, an elite city track team. Soon, Ghost finds a place among the other athletes and a future to run toward-- if he can find a way to face his past.

Ghost's conversational, humorous narration allows Reynolds to handle heavy topics: domestic abuse, bullying, poverty, gun violence, and trauma without overwhelming the reader.

Ghost has one of the most authentic voices I've encountered in contemporary children's literature--I've recommended this book a lot over the past few years and have noticed how it appeals to a huge variety of young readers, regardless of background and experiences. One of the things that makes Ghost so appealing is that even though he feels like a mess, he's determined not to be a victim.

Running track and developing a supportive relationship with his coach allows Ghost to start processing his trauma, which he describes as his "scream" living inside him.

Jason Reynolds is one of those writers who obviously loves young people and who truly remembers being a kid—the social dynamics, humiliations, uncertainties, and importance of having someone in your corner who believes in you, even when you don't believe in yourself. Ghost is a must-read.

Recommended for ages 10-14

Half Moon Summer, by Elaine Vickers (2023)

thank you to darcy, fellow runner and bookworm, for gifting us this book!

“Don’t let go,”I tell Mia. “Don’t lose me.”

I wont, she says.

And then the starting gun goes off.

And we are running.

In two, out two.

Because sometimes all you can do is take the next step.

And keep breathing.

Drew and Mia, both 12 years old, spend the summer training for a half marathon together while individually dealing with significant challenges. Drew is lonely because his best friend has moved away and his father has just received a devastating diagnosis.

Mia is also lonely: she’s living in Half Moon Bay for the summer while her father is in Alaska, caring for her ailing grandmother and dealing with a major financial crisis.

As the two kids lean into their half-marathon training, their connection deepens and they begin to rely on each other. Both learn the value of friendship, the importance of appreciating the small moments, and how to move forward, especially when life changes in unexpected —and sometimes unwanted ways.

Half Moon Summer is written from alternating points of view, with Drew's chapters in prose and Mia's chapters in verse. While this mix of styles can sometimes be clunky, it works well in this book.

Each voice is distinct and enables the reader to feel closer to both Drew and Mia. Despite the characters dealing with really difficult circumstances, the author does a great job of lightening some of the sadder moments by focusing on Drew and Mia's running and deepening friendship.

Middle grade readers drawn to realistic fiction will love this story of hope and perseverance.