Now Is the Time for Running
- Subject
- Sports & Recreation - Soccer
- Age
- 9-12 years
- Format
- Trade Paperback
- Pages
- 240
- Publisher
- Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Size
- 13.7 cm × 20.8 cm
- ISBN
- 9780316077880
A captivating coming of age story of heartbreak, hope, and brotherly love, when tragedy strikes, Deo's love of soccer is all he has left—can he use that gift to find hope once more?
Just down the road from their families, Deo and his friends play soccer in the dusty fields of Zimbabwe, cheered on by Deo's older brother, Innocent. It is a day like any other ..until the soldiers arrive and Deo and Innocent are forced to run for their lives, fleeing the wreckage of their village for the distant promise of safe haven. Along the way, they face the prejudice and poverty that await refugees everywhere, and must rely on the kindness of people they meet to make it through.
Relevant, timely, and accessibly written, Now Is the Time For Running is a staggering story of survival that follows Deo and his mentally handicapped older brother on a transformative journey that will stick with readers long after the last page.
Data provided by BiblioShare.
What reviewers said
"Williams skillfully draws the plight of these refugee brothers with both suspense and sympathy, and readers cannot help but root for them in their quest to rebuild their broken lives... Williams joins Beverly Naidoo and Allan Stratton with this incisive portrait of sub-Saharan Africa, a compelling mix of suspense, sports, and social injustice."
"A harrowing tale of modern Zimbabwe... gripping, suspenseful and deeply compassionate."
"We run with [Deo], our hearts in our mouths, to the very end... How lucky we are to get such a read!"
"Michael Williams has crafted a gripping novel that celebrates the lure of soccer, the power of brotherhood, and the human spirit's ability to overcome incredible odds."
"Gut-wrenching and moving... an eye-opening book that cries out to be read."
"Now Is the Time For Running is as riveting as it is important, as heartbreaking as it is uplifting, and as sobering as it is thrilling. Michael Williams astounds us with the moral dilemmas facing southern Africa; he also buoys us with a realistic sense of hope and triumph. A must read."
