Common Sense Media Review
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Runner finds own way to grieve in unique series volume.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
SUNNY Lancaster is a winner -- all the time, every time in the 1,600-meter race. The one no one watches. He ran the mile for his mom who died giving birth to him, who couldn't run the mile anymore. He ran for his dad, who's still in deep grief over Sunny's mom dying. A dad who barely speaks to him. He didn't run for himself. So one day Sunny ... just ... stops. Stops winning, stops running. Now what?
Is It Any Good?
This distinctly different book for a distinctly different character delves into what makes the "weird kid" tick, more like like what makes him tick, tick, boom, and whoosh. The protagonist of Sunny has a weird life being homeschooled with a dad who makes Sunny call him by his first name. And Sunny speaks in a unique way -- using onomatopoeia (words made from sounds) to describe everything from feelings to situations to movement. This can be jarring at first, but considering Sunny is also a dancer, it begins to make sense and readers will get into the groove. Previous teammates from the Track series make brief appearances, but the book has its own vibe separate from the others and the track for which the series is named.
Parents and teachers will like the opportunity to explore how sounds can be used as words and the opportunity to discuss grief and healing. Kids will enjoy Sunny's quirks and find strength to forge their own life moves using Sunny's example.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how grief in shown in Sunny,Track Book 3. How does Sunny's dad deal with his grief? Is it healthy? Why or why not? Have you ever dealt with the loss of a close family member? How did you work through your grief?
Do you think Sunny's dad bullied him into running the mile? How have you dealt with bullies in school or at home?
The technique of onomatopoeia (swords made from sounds) is used throughout the book. How do the "boom tick tick booms" help you get to know Sunny? What words-as-sounds do you use to express yourself?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
- Publication date : April 10, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 17
- Number of pages : 177
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate