MOON RUNNER

New to her school, fourth grader Mina is pleased to have found new friends, Sammy, Alana and Ruth. All year, the “Fellow Friends” have shared in the construction of a Friendship Ball of yarn. When spring comes and the PE teacher introduces track, Mina, never an athlete, is surprised to discover that she likes running and is good at it. When she ties the competitive Ruth in the 50-meter sprint, she worries that their friendship might unravel. Losing purposefully only seems to make things worse. Can she keep Ruth’s friendship and continue to run as well? In this gentle story, Marsden captures the overriding importance of friendship issues to girls of that age. Vivid detail and a recurrent image of the moon enhance the simple language. Mina is a sympathetic and believable central character, extending herself in many ways, trying new things like sleeping over at someone’s house, reading more challenging books and even beginning difficult conversations. Middle-grade readers will recognize the familiar details of the elementary-school setting and enjoy the satisfying outcome. (Fiction. 7-10)