miscellaneous

The Pumpkin Runner is a great book for parents to read to their children, especially those parents who are runners. Few are the books that spin a tale about the sports we love. Children need to be exposed to the challenges and rewards of participating in sports. Taken from a true story of ultramarathoner Cliff Young, The Pumpkin Runner has fantastic colors in vivid artwork to hold a child's attention. Adults will smile as Joshua runs the race of his life in a carefree way that shows children of all ages that sometimes we just need to have fun--and the rewards will come.

This story has my six year old pretending to eat slices of pumpkin before he zooms off into the distance! It is a compelling tale of an old bloke who beats the odds by just doing what works for him. What I like best about this story, besides it being based on reality, is that it makes folks think about what elders can do, or indeed what people can accomplish, just by being utterly themselves. It's an updated 'tortoise and the hare' fable, really. Incidentally, I found the laconic, modest character of Joshua to be distinctly Australian, having lived there for four years. It's great!