Running Scared

February 1, 2014
An absorbing middle-grade story of a boy trying to come to terms with his father's death. Sixth-grader Gregory takes the long way home from school every day to avoid passing the Jiffy Mart where his minister father died in a car accident. Gregory was in the car at the time, which further intensifies his anxiety. His friends Matt and Teisha try numerous schemes to help Gregory face his fears, but nothing works. Meanwhile, Gregory's schoolwork has begun to suffer badly except for math, the one subject that fascinates Gregory. Even worse, news has come down that Gregory's school will be closed, his favorite teachers might lose their jobs, and the bus for the new school will stop at the dreaded Jiffy Mart. Hoping to forestall this, Gregory gets involved in a student effort to convince the authorities to keep the school open. During their door-to-door campaign, the friends meet an eccentric elderly lady and a girl who has lost her dog, bringing them together. Finally, Gregory realizes that he must conquer his fears on his own, even as he begins to understand the worth of his new friends and his own efforts. Terrell-Deutsch writes with simplicity and a compassion for her characters that will resonate with readers. The promotion of math as fun stands out as an added bonus. Insightful and sensitive, a solid character study. (Fiction. 9-12)

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March 15, 2014
Grades 4-6 Sixth-grader Gregory determinedly takes the long way to and from school each day, choosing to pass a scary barking dog rather than the Jiffy Mart, where his father was killed in a car accident the previous year. Struggling to cope with his loss, Gregory withdraws, only able to find comfort in math and the reliability of numbers. When an announcement is made that his school may have to close, Gregory quickly converts the news into an equation: (New School) + (Bus Pick-up In Front Of Jiffy Mart) + (MUST Avoid Jiffy Mart) = x. Thus he realizes his only chance of avoiding the accident site is to join the fight to save the school. Terrell-Deutsch's background as a school psychologist is evident in this book's internal nature. Plot takes a backseat to Gregory's emotional and psychological issues, making it something of a problem novel; however, Gregory's anger, anguish, and determination to overcome his fears will provide readers comfort in their own grief and encouragement to face life's challenges.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)