This book is written by Sharon Creech. It is about Annie, 12,who loves running barefoot: she doesn’t like running in competitions though. Her moody friend and running partner Max, likes to run in competitions. Her beloved grandpa, who was once a champion runner, is slowly falling into dementia.

There are a very few things I liked about this book. I liked the idea of the poetic layout, which is an interesting way to lay out a novel and there is very good use of onomatopoeia. I also liked the simplicity of the story. It is easy to read and may appeal to younger readers.

The book has no basic story and is not very interesting at all. I read it in about thirty minutes. Also it is very repetitive: it just goes on and on. I didn’t like this novel. I am surprised it got into the shortlist.

I would rate it 3/10 and I would not recommend it to anyone above the age of 11, as they would find it incredibly boring.

Here is a chapter:

BEFORE I WAS BORN
My mother says
I was running running running
inside her before I was even born.
She could feel my legs whirling
thump-thump, thump-thump
and she says that when I was born
I came out with my legs racing
as if I would take off
right then, right there
and dash straight out of her life.

She says it made her laugh
and it scared her, too,
because she'd only just met me
and didn't want me to race away
quite so soon.

She says I've been
running
running
running
ever since-or nearly ever since-

I ran before I crawled
I ran from dawn to dusk
And sometimes at night
she would see my legs still restless
as if I were running
in my sleep
through my dreams.

I tell her not to worry
that I will always come home
because that is where
I get my start.