Review & Giveaway: The Long Run

Title: The Long Run

Author: Joseph Bruchac

Genres: Contemporary

Pages: 114 pages

Publisher: 7th Generation

Review Copy: Book received from publisher

Availability: Available now

Summary: “You are useless, kid. Useless. Why do I have to take care of you? You just hold me back. Useless.”

Travis put his hand on his stomach. He felt the bruise from his father’s blow, but what his father had said hurt more.

Useless.

I’m not useless. I can run. That’s one thing I can do.

“I’m tired of being afraid,” Travis said. He said it softly. He said it to himself.

I can’t stay here, Travis thought. The thought surprised him. But how can I leave my father? Then another thought hit him. It hit him harder than his father’s drunken fists. I have to leave. I have to run. Not tomorrow. Now!

Follow Travis Hawk on a cross-country trek as he escapes a world of brutality and uncertainty and puts his trust, and even his very life, in the hands of total strangers. Travis’s story is one of struggle, survival, risk and resilience, navigating a solo journey of hundreds of miles to seek a safe haven far from the demons of his past.

Review: Before I talk about The Long Run, I want to mention what the 7th Generation PathFinder novels are. The PathFinder novels are all written by Native authors, feature Native teens, and are contemporary or historical fiction. Additionally, the PathFinder novels are designed to engage teens with low reading levels (the books are all written at a 2.5 to 4.5 reading level) who want fast-paced plots and culturally accurate stories. You can find the entire PathFinder catalog here.

The Long Run is a straightforward adventure story, focused on Travis Hawk as he makes the fateful decision to leave his father and the Seattle shelter they live in and travel to his grandparents in Maine. It is easy to empathize with Travis and his sudden decision to run away before his father can wake up. His journey is a hard one (anti-Native racism, lack of money, harrowing encounters), but it is also filled with many uplifting moments and good people. From the man on the bus who shares his food with Travis to the people who pay him for odd jobs so he can continue with his journey, there is a wealth of kindness in this story, too.

As Travis crosses the country, the reader learns more about him and his past while also learning about the people who have stepped in to help him. He meets a wide cross-section of humanity, and the people he spends time with all have their own stories to explore. In fact, I wished the novel were a little longer so Travis could meet more people and so we could learn more about him. The episodic nature of the book generally works well, though it feels a little choppy on occasion.

Recommendation: Get it soon, especially if you’re a teacher looking to diversify a middle or high school classroom library. The Long Run would be a great book to pass on to any teens who like adventure stories and also have lower reading levels.

Giveaway

This giveaway is open to U.S. teachers only. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. One copy of The Long Run is available. The giveaway ends on June 16, 2017.
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3 Replies to “Review & Giveaway: The Long Run

  1. Thank you for your work in celebrating and promoting creators of color and books with inclusive characters. Rich in Color has helped me reach more of my students and create greater empathy for other.

  2. I am looking for books by authors of color and with protagonists from under-represented groups to add to my classroom library. I am part of the county’s evaluation & selection committee, whose mission is to add diverse books to curriculum.

  3. I’m the selector for Youth and Young Adult Fiction at our public library. I’ve been following this blog for about 6 months and always use your suggestions when purchasing for the collection. It’s been a big help!

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