Road Whiz
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Fourteen-year-old Jamie is growing too fast! Friends taunt him that his feet are so big the last time he stepped in a puddle, they called it the Mississippi River.
As Jamie moves from 8th to 9th grade, Dad expects Jamie to join traditional sports, like football. Instead, Road Whiz, a retired greyhound racing dog, inspires Jamie to run. He starts training to run 5Ks.
Like the retired greyhound, Jamie struggles with the question of why should he run? Does he run to win, or does he run because he loves running? With Road Whiz as his mentor, Jamie faces the challenges in his life, from family changes to his own growing body.
This middle grade novel will mesmerize boys who struggle with the idea of competition. Jamie’s resolution of his doubts, fears and hopes about competing will inspire boys as they experience their own disturbing, if inevitable, growth.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Jamie Kruger hates being so big, towering above the other eighth-grade students at his Arkansas middle school. He's growing constantly, hungry all the time, and bullied by other kids, especially rival Chan Maxwell. Jamie's father, who travels for long stretches of time, doesn't notice Jamie's growth or isolation, and his mother is sad about her husband's most recent work assignment: a year or more in Poland. To help allay the physical and emotional toll of being on their own, Jamie and his mom start running together. Meanwhile, greyhound Road Whiz's racing days are over; when Forever Homes for Greyhounds visits Jamie's school, Jamie persuades his mom to adopt the retired dog. Everyday life remains a challenge, however, until a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot teaches Jamie and his family about love, understanding, and what's truly important. Pattison (the Blue Planets World series) attempts to connect worthy themes of alienation, bullying, competition, friendship, and family relationships into a coming-of-age story, but a lack of focus results in a missed opportunity to make a strong point. Ages 10 12. (BookLife)
