Runner

Great book about the choices we make when we are desperate. 17 year old Chance lives on a houseboat with his loser, alcoholic father and works after school to try and pay the rent money for their mooring as the father drinks it away. When an opportunity comes Chances way to make some much needed cash by just running along the waterfront and checking for packages, alarm bells ring but Chance has no choice but to accept the Fat Guy's offer. Soon Chance is embroiled in something he can't get out of as he knows too much about an illegal and dangerous operation.
A very suspenseful book that kept me reading until the very last page.

Chance is a boy with not many options. He and his dad live on a run down sailboat. His dad has a problem with alcohol and can't seem to ever hold down a regular job. When Chance gets an offer to make quick, easy money, based on picking up packages during his daily runs, he takes it even though he realizes he's probably getting involved in something illegal. The book unfolds in some unpredictable ways and Chance has gotten himself into way more than he bargained for!

Chance Taylor lives on a boat in Seattle, but it's nothing like that big fancy boat that kid lived on in the movie 'Sleepless in Seattle'. Chance's boat is a run-down sailboat. He lives on it with his father who keeps losing jobs because he drinks too much. They're barely able to pay their bills and Chance is starting to panic when this man offers him a job picking up packages. At first Chance says no because he assumes he'd be participating in a drug smuggling ring, but then the money that's promised sounds like it would prevent him and his father from becoming homeless. At first it doesn't seem like a big deal, but Chance's conscience causes him to question what is really in these mystery packages and whether he wants to be a part of show more it. Could the packages have anything to do with terrorism?

This book really draws you in fast and is very relavent in this time when we are fearing more terrorist attacks on native soil. show less

Recommended Ages: Gr. 7-12

Plot Summary: Chance lives on a tiny sailboat with his alcoholic father, and their bills are catching up with them. Chance takes up an offer to pick up strange packages during his regular runs. He knows he's involved in something illegal and figures it's drugs, and looks forward to when he can quit. But before he gets his chance, his "boss's" car runs off a cliff and the mysterious people show up on his boat to claim their packages. Chance finally realizes it's not drugs, but weapons for terrorists.

Setting: Puget Sound, Washington

Characters: Chance Taylor, senior
Melissa, senior, editor of newspaper, friend
fat guy - guy who offered Chance the job, was killed after his car drove over a cliff, didn't know much show more about the stuff being smuggled

Recurring Themes: terrorism, United States military, alcoholism, friendship, coming of age, post-high school plans, rich and poor, high school activities, running

Controversial Issues: This book doesn't give any description of the terrorists, so we don't know age, race, or ethnicity. While the purpose of this book is to tell an intriguing story, it may scare some readers into fearing terrorist threats.

Personal Thoughts: This book was a very quick read. Chapters are short. It is well written. I highly recommend it, but I only gave it 4 stars because I'm afraid it will perpetuate negative stereotypes and fears of terrorist attacks. show less

This was an exciting book that exposes the underground world of terrorism. Carl Deuker keeps you glued to the pages as the life of Chance Taylor unfolds. From alcoholism, to poverty, too terrorist cells, this book has it all. The book has extremely short chapters which makes it a really quick read. The ending is a little abrupt, but still powerful.

What would you do with an alcoholic father and bills mounting? What would you do, abandoned by your mother and the end of senior year looming on the horizon? Chance Taylore does the unthinkable-- he runs and becomes a smuggler.

Chance Taylor is a high school senior who lives on an old dilapidated houseboat in Puget Sound with his alcoholic father. Chance gets the opportunity to make some money when a man notices him running around the pier and docks and approaches him about delivering some packages during his run. It doesn’t take long for Chance to figure out that something fishy is happening at the pier (oh…. such a bad pun, but too easy :-). Throw in a cute girl, a terrorist threat and a climactic ending and you’ve got an exciting read for all readers, reluctant readers especially........ See the rest of my review by clicking on Reading Rumpus, a children's literature and reading education website