Racing the Past [Hardcover]

Sis Deans (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2001 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

A moving story about survival, recovery, and the power of determination.

There was something else driving Ricky as he sped down Ridge Road under that cloudless blue sky. "Everybody knows a Gordon's middle name is Thief." The hatred and hurt rose up inside him. His stride lengthened. His arms pumped faster. He could feel the new-found fuel burning in his muscles. Today would be the day Ricky beat the bus."The best thing your father ever did was get himself killed."

Though he'd never admit it out loud, secretly Ricky Gordon agrees. It's been three months since his dad's fatal car accident, but Ricky is still haunted by memories of violent beatings and hurtful words. His mind won't let him forget, and neither will the kids at school. And if Ricky gets into one more fight he'll be in serious trouble. The fights always begin on the bus. That's where the kids corner Ricky, teasing him until he's so angry that he hits back. There has to be another way to get to school. Ricky decides to try running.

At first the three-mile run is pure torture, but soon he begins to build speed and stamina. It's not long before people notice his dedication and his talent. And finally he accepts the challenge that has been facing him all along: he will race the bus -- and win.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This hard-hitting novel portrays the struggle of a smalltown 11-year-old to find self-respect and a sense of purpose after the recent death of his violent, alcoholic father. A sixth-grade bully's taunt "My father said the best thing your father ever did for your family was running his truck off of Dead Man's Curve" infuriates Ricky, all the more because he privately agrees, and the fight he starts lands him in the principal's office. When the principal threatens to call in Ricky's overburdened mother, Ricky promises to stay out of trouble, even though it will mean giving up recess and avoiding the school bus. Deans (Brick Walls) deftly builds Ricky's attitude toward his three-and-a-half mile commute from a sacrifice to a personal challenge: he starts setting daily goals, first jogging and then running until he eventually vows to beat the bus home. Ricky's race is echoed by his rejection of the town's stereotypes of his family as thieves and deadbeats. As he says to his younger brother, Matt, "We're done being this town's white trash." Strong subplots and a keen sense of family dynamics help propel the action. Matt, for example, won't enter the house until Ricky checks every room, because he's terrified that their father will somehow rise from the dead to continue his abuses. Deans's persuasive and informed sympathy encourages readers to cheer Ricky for his perseverance and his triumphs. Ages 10-15.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 6-8-Growing up poor in rural Maine, Ricky Gordon, 11, is dealing with the death of his abusive, alcoholic father and the still-fresh loss of a neighbor who was a surrogate grandmother to him. To top matters off, he is tormented by the local bully. These events have left Ricky confused and angry. In order to avoid trouble with Bugsie on the bus, he starts to walk back and forth to school. Over time, he begins to jog and ultimately picks up speed. Long-distance running proves to be what Ricky needs, as he finds in the physical exertion an escape from his problems and a boost to his confidence. At the novel's end, Ricky has attracted the attention of the local track coach, stood up to Bugsie, and gained a greater understanding of himself. Not all of these disparate threads come together-understandable in a novel that is more of a character study than a tightly plotted story-and some readers may find the flashbacks confusing. Still, the author does a good job of capturing the often rough, cruel, and foul-mouthed world of early adolescents. Best of all is the portrait of Ricky-a boy who has been forced to face adult problems for years and who could easily slide toward the sad and wasted life exhibited by his father's family, but who has enough courage and decency to keep himself afloat.

Todd Morning, Schaumburg Township Public Library, IL

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (May 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805066357
• ISBN-13: 978-0805066357
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,685,731 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beating the Bus, March 13, 2003

By 

J. ... (Cerritos, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Racing the Past (Hardcover)

Racing the Past
By: Sis Deans
Reviewed by: J.Lau
Period: 6
Racing the Past is a book about a kid named Ricky who just lost his father. Ricky gets into a lot of trouble at school and doesn't want to get his mom involved because she is already under a lot of stress. So Ricky makes a deal with the principal that he wouldn't get into anymore fights as long as the principal doesn't call his mom. The deal meant that Ricky had to miss recess and riding the bus to avoid getting into fights with Bugsie, the school bully. Since Ricky had to walk to and from school, he thought that it took too much time and decided to run the 7 miles to and from school and just maybe beat the bus home. Ricky makes notes on how to run faster and finally gets what he wants.
I like this book because it shows how you should have endurance when you run and never give up and the book also shows how a family works together after the loss of a close person. Ricky started out walking the 7 miles everyday and then he came up with the idea of beating the bus. So every morning and afternoon Ricky starts out jogging to and from school, working his way up to running the whole thing. Ricky took notes to help him be able to improve his running. While jogging or running Ricky did number problems in his head to pass time. Then one day a high school coach saw him running, "Keep that up and we'll be good friends when you get to high school." The coach supplied him with new shoes and paid for his doctor's bills as long as Ricky would run for him when he got to high school.
After Ricky's father died from drinking and driving, Ricky and his little brother, Matt, were happy that their father wasn't around anymore because of all the abuse and trouble their father caused. Ricky's mom was always at work so Ricky had to stay home to watch his little brother and sister. Ricky also helped take care of housework since his mom was a too busy getting bill paid. Matt was still scared of their father, even though he wasn't alive anymore, that Ricky had to go in the house first after school to make sure that their father wasn't around and Matt held a frying pan while sleeping and still wet his bed at night from bad dreams. When the funeral day came Ricky thought that it was time that they all got rid of the bad memories. Then Ricky decided to get rid of his father's plastic window covering. "Come on!" he told him. "Let's tear it all down."
My favorite part of the book is when Ricky finally beats the bus home. Ricky came out of the building as soon as the school bell rang and did his stretches. Ricky started running home with confidence and strength. When he got to the 2nd mile all he could think about was winning but then the thoughts of Bugsie made him mad so he sped up. Turning the corner, Ricky crashed into Tom Guimond and hit the ground but got up just as quick remembering the race. When he got to the last 100 yards he could hear the bus coming and gaining, he found the energy to sprint the last 25 yards with cheering in the background. Ricky had beaten the bus.

5.0 out of 5 stars Has a sense of place and characters like TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, November 18, 2011

By 

J. Stamps "justjohn2" (saratoga, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Racing the Past (Kindle Edition)

My neice read this in middle school and told me about I would like it. I more than liked it, and plan to read everything this writer has published. I only wish this book had been longer, as I wasn't ready to leave the story.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Experiance, March 4, 2010

By 

Dixy:) "yO mAMA KNows besT" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Racing the Past (Hardcover)

This was a very good book. I am in middle school, i was looking for a shorter kind of book, this was perfect! It really taught me to count my blessings, and appreciate what i have. It had a lesson and a theme which was something everyone needs to learn. whoever says this book was "boring" think again, focus on the meaning and detail this book had. Think about if you were Ricky. How does that make you feel? Thankful? YES