SOLVED. Children's Novel About A Boy who Uses Running To Conquer his Abusive Past [s]

[Jc]

Hello, need a bit of help finding this book.

It has an award on it, but I unfortunately do not know which one.

Details: About a boy who is about 12-14 who lives with his brother? and mother. (His father, I believe, was the abuser.)

He has a hard time in school but there is this one scene I remember where the teacher helps him with a word problem by counting coins (or the teacher discovers he's good at it, can't remember).

His mother forces him to go to therapy? To talk about his thoughts regarding, the divorce? The abuse? Don't remember.

Later on, he takes up running. Slowly building stamina by running about a neighborhood block everyday to school, and then running longer distances and shortening his times. He keeps track of those times.

His shoes are old and he eventually is able to get new ones?

At the end of the book he is able to run as far as his school and is faster than the bus.

Please help! It was a lovely story of triumph.

Thank you for your time!~

[Rowan]

no idea if this is anything like that but the first thing that comes to mind is 'the edge' because i remember that to be about a boy from a bad background starting up running

[Kris]

Rosanna, who wrote the book you suggested (The Edge)?

[Kris]

Just in case you're interested, I'll mention Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. It seems to have a similar theme, but the boy is an orphan.

[Rowan]

I can't remember I'm afraid

[Rowan]

I googled it- Alan Gibbons

[Kris]

Here's the link for Rosanna's suggestion - The Edge by Alan Gibbons.

[Laina]

Could it be the Cynthia Voight book The Runner?

[Liralen]

Probably not, but perhaps something by Chris Crutcher.

[Kris]

Forgot to ask. JC, around what year did you read this book?
What's the location - country/US/region, big city, small town, etc.?

[HeavyReader]

Muhammad Ali famously raced the school bus to school.

From http://www.neatorama.com/2013/01/17/T...

He used to race the school bus.

As a kid growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, Cassius didn't ride the bus to school like other kids. Instead of riding, Cassius would literally race the bus to school every morning.

[Jc]

The Book is called Racing the Past by Sis Deans. It randomly showed up alongside Kris's link that Roseanna sparked. Thank you very much your help, everyone! I even tucked in a few books to read from this! ^^

[Kris]

Great! Nice team effort. :)

[Rainbowheart]

Racing the Past for the link.