Customer Reviews

Racing the Sun (Avon Camelot Books)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I thought the book was going to be very boring but once i got started on it, it became more interesting. The book is about a navajo boy, 12 years old named Brandon who finds out that his grandfather is leaving the reservation because he is sick. Soon the two are living in the same room. My favorite part is when Brandon and his grandfather take the busride back to the reservation. If u are interested in indians, I suggest that you read this book.

Brandon, an ordinary twelve-year-old boy who lives in suburbia has an Indian heritage. Brandon who does not know much about his Navajo background sees a letter sitting on the kitchen table and sees that his grandfather will be coming to their house for the summer. His parents decide that he should sleep in Brandon's room and replace is bed for a bunk bed. Grandpa comes to the home with and Indian smell, He is exhausted from riding so long to the their house. By the next morning before the sun is up, his grandfather wakens Brandon. This is where the teachings of Navajo life begin! Grandpa sends Brandon to race to where the sun comes up, and then race back when the sun peaks over the trees. After that, it makes him feel great. Now he has to "Race the sun" each morning. Next, Grandpa teaches how to plant, where to plant, and what to plant. After a month, Grandpa is sick. Sick of his old age and misses his home and the fresh smells of the sage brush down where he lived. Brandon now cares for his grandfather and wants to take him back down to the reservation. Brand fiqures out a way to run away with his grandfather without anyone knowing it! The rest of the book you will have to read. I give this book *** (3) out of 5 stars. The book was planned well but had a sad ending.

12-year old Brandon's Grandpa said he was going to come. Brandon was horrified, but then when his Grandpa told him to race the sun and heard him chant at night, Brandon couldn't stand it anymore. But soon Brandon grows to loves his Grandpa. Soon, when he heard that his Grandpa had cancer, and wanted to go back to his homeland, but his parents won't listen, he decides to runaway with his Grandpa.

I think this book was kind of boring then kind of fun. First it was boring, but the middle and the ending was great! Some of the parts were funny (like the part when Brandon called Grandpa a genuine Navajo alarm clock), and some of the parts were sad (like the part when Grandpa died...)
I would reccomend this book to anybody who likes stories that are a little bit funny and sad.

At first glance this book did not seem very interesting. Once I finished this book and completely enjoyed it. I think that this has a great moral and we need to appreciate life more than we do. The story is about a 12 year old boy named Brandon and his coming to terms with his grandfather's death. He has not had a chance in his life to create a relationship with his grandfather, until he becomes sick and comes to stay with him and his family. Brandon is encouraged to get up each morning and "Race the Sun". He then is able to understand the appreciation of life, and learns to enjoy the moment. Brandon tries to encourage his father, who has become so self-absorbed, to get up and run with him. To no avail does he succeed. This book is a heart-warming novel and leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy

Paul Pitts seems to capture what is is like to live on the reservation. Considering that he is a anglo man living on the reservation he has grown to embrace the culture. I should know I went to school with his son on the same reservation.

The story is about a boy who's grandfather gets sick and has to come up to his house from Little Waters , Arizona on a Navajo reservation. Brandon the, main character, has to give up a lot of things in the begging before his grandfather gets there. He has to take down his posters and he doesn't want to have his grandfather in his house living in the same room as he is. They have some problems like for Brandon he has to do Navajo traditions like in the morning at like six o'clock in the morning he has to run to the sun. Then Brandon sees why his grandfather makes him race the sun and it's because it just makes you fell good. Then his grandfather gets a letter from home and he wants to go home so Brandon gets some money and takes him to his home town. There they talk talk to there relatives. The next day Brandon's parents get there and they are very mad. Later that day they go to his grandfather's house and then there they spend the night. The next day Brandon races the sun and you'll have to read the book to find out what happens next.
I thought this book was very interesting because it had some Navajo traditions that where very intriguing. I would give it three out of five stars (which is above average) because it was a little slow at times like in the begging when Brandon and his best friend are doing math and come home and talk about Brandon's grandfather coming to the city. On a general basis it was a good interesting book. It was good but if u like action packed adventurous books I don't recommend it to you.

I had to read this book in the fifth grade. This book is very touching. At first I didn't think i'd like it but once i picked it up i couldn't put it down! It's basically about this navajo boy whose grandfather gets taken off the reservation and he has to share a room with him. well, he isn't too crazy about that.his grandfather is all about livinng the navajo ways, but the boy is just being a regular (american) kid. And the title? racing the sun, well i'll have to let you read the book yourself.

I think this book wasn't very good. The whole story is kind
of slow and boring. The main characters are Brandon and Gramdpa. They are both Navajo. Everything else about them wasn't well described. The plots and story events are long and boring. It takes about 60 pgs to get to the first problem. For example: Brandon's parents are arguing about weather gramdpa should stay with them. The message in this book is never forget your lost ones. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes slow and long books.
By
Brendan

Paul Pitts writes with so many human emotions and images that my fifth grade class of "I don't like to read" students are completely hooked!

If you have ever been embarassed by your parents, grandparents, or other ethnic relatives and then realized how beautiful they truely are...maybe felt guilty because of shunning them...this book is a MUST!

This is a great book for students of any cultural background. Brandon learning to see things a different way, and forming new and valued relationships while still retaining what is important to him is a great message for any middle grade reader.