Running on Empty

by S. E. Durrant

Overview

A boy shoulders great responsibility for his differently abled parents in this touching middle-grade story.

AJ is a runner--and when he's running, he's fast, free, and flying. It was Grandad who taught him to run, and who did a lot more, besides. Grandad always made sure things were in order around AJ's house, because his parents could not. AJ's parents are different, and because they do not have the tools to cope with certain elements of everyday life, it was Grandad who reviewed the water bill, saw to it that the electricity meter had funds, and kept everything else shipshape.

But now, with Grandad's sudden passing and Aunt Joan about to have a baby, AJ knows it's up to him to make sure Mum and Dad are okay and to keep the household going. It would be a hard job for any adult, but for a kid who's also starting middle-school and trying to impress the gruff track coach . . . is staying afloat even possible?

Through its heartwarming and believable characters, Running on Empty sensitively explores the dynamics of a loving family finding its way forward, and the unexpected helping hands that pitch in along the way.

A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823441372
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	10/02/2018
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	200
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

S. E. DURRANT was raised in Scotland and now lives in East Sussex with her family. Her first book, Little Bits of Sky, was called "remarkable" by The Sunday Times.

Editorial Reviews

"This story's texture of sorrow and anxiety, humor and family affection, develops gradually in Durrant's alertness to small, important moments in everyday life . . . A story of grieving and growing, this richly conceived, sensitive novel is written with a quick, light touch."—The Horn Book

"AJ, 11, is a worrier and a dreamer, and he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. . . . AJ is imperfect, kindhearted, loving, earnest, and entirely delightful."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2018-07-30

AJ, 11, is a worrier and a dreamer, and he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Grandad was his pal, his running companion, and a fellow admirer of the Jamaican Olympic champion Usain Bolt. Grandad was also the caretaker of AJ's parents, who are learning disabled. Now that Grandad is gone, AJ feels he must take over, dealing with bills and managing the minutiae of living in a very old, run-down house in London. He has conflicting feelings about his parents; he loves them but is sometimes embarrassed by them. He's unsure of his ability to handle it all, but he is terrified the authorities will take him away from his parents. All this is happening as he begins secondary school and tries out for the track team with running shoes that are painfully too small. He bravely faces many crises but finally accepts help from caring friends and family. AJ narrates his own story, addressing readers directly, as if they are trusted friends. First published in the U.K., the text includes some British terms that will be easily understood by American readers. Chapters are titled and vary in length, sometimes headed by a repeated, identical black-and-white image of a running track. The cover depicts AJ with pale skin; brief descriptions and naming conventions indicate that his London is vigorously multicultural.

AJ is imperfect, kindhearted, loving, earnest, and entirely delightful. (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews