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Keeping Pace
Laurie Morrison’s Keeping Pace is a poignant middle-grade novel about friends-turned-rivals training for a half-marathon—and rethinking what it means to win and what they mean to each other.
Grace has been working for years to beat her former friend Jonah Perkins’s GPA so she can be named top scholar of the eighth grade. But when Jonah beats her for the title, it feels like none of Grace’s academic accomplishments have really mattered. They weren’t enough to win—or to impress her dad. And then the wide, empty summer looms. With nothing planned and no more goals or checklists, she doesn’t know what she’s supposed to be working toward.
Eager for something to occupy her days, Grace signs up for a half-marathon race that she and Jonah used to talk about running together. Jonah’s running it, too. Maybe if she can beat Jonah on race day, she’ll feel OK again. But as she begins training with Jonah and checking off a new list of summer goals, she starts to question what—and who—really matters to her. Is winning at all costs really worth it?
Engaging and heartfelt, Keeping Pace is about wanting to win at all costs—and having to learn how to fail.
Grace has been working for years to beat her former friend Jonah Perkins’s GPA so she can be named top scholar of the eighth grade. But when Jonah beats her for the title, it feels like none of Grace’s academic accomplishments have really mattered. They weren’t enough to win—or to impress her dad. And then the wide, empty summer looms. With nothing planned and no more goals or checklists, she doesn’t know what she’s supposed to be working toward.
Eager for something to occupy her days, Grace signs up for a half-marathon race that she and Jonah used to talk about running together. Jonah’s running it, too. Maybe if she can beat Jonah on race day, she’ll feel OK again. But as she begins training with Jonah and checking off a new list of summer goals, she starts to question what—and who—really matters to her. Is winning at all costs really worth it?
Engaging and heartfelt, Keeping Pace is about wanting to win at all costs—and having to learn how to fail.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2024
27 people are currently reading
577 people want to read
About the author
Laurie Morrison
9 books113 followersLaurie Morrison is the coauthor of Every Shiny Thing and the author of Up for Air, Saint Ivy, Coming Up Short, Keeping Pace, and Where Ella Went (coming April 14, 2026). Laurie’s books have received starred reviews and been chosen as Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections and finalists for state award lists. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and she lives with her family in Philadelphia, PA, where she teaches middle school language arts. You can visit her website at lauriemorrisonwrites.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
December 9, 2023
I may be a bit biased, being the author and all…but I really love this book!
October 3, 2025
that was really enjoyable! while i think it was somewhat predictable, it was a good exploration of the meaning of academic success and the struggle with family & friendship dynamics. the romance was also unexpectedly cute, but i do wish i could read about the marathon and see grace talk it out with her dad.
February 11, 2024
What a fantastic upper middle grade novel. Keeping Pace is a heartfelt story about learning what it means to win at all costs and discovering whether it’s worth it or not.
In this story the main character, Grace, has been trying to get better grades than her former friend Jonah. She wants nothing more than to be named the top scholar of her eighth grade class. When Jonah beats her, she feels like all of her hard work wasn’t worth it. No longer knowing what goals to work toward, she signs up for a marathon she and Jonah always planned to run together. It’s through this that she discovers who and what really matters.
This book has such well rounded, relatable characters. There were so many things conveyed in Grace’s story that people of all ages can take something away from. The idea that putting in the effort and trying your best counts for something is a great reminder for young and older readers alike.
Overall, this was such a great story about life lessons, friendship, and overcoming insecurities.
In this story the main character, Grace, has been trying to get better grades than her former friend Jonah. She wants nothing more than to be named the top scholar of her eighth grade class. When Jonah beats her, she feels like all of her hard work wasn’t worth it. No longer knowing what goals to work toward, she signs up for a marathon she and Jonah always planned to run together. It’s through this that she discovers who and what really matters.
This book has such well rounded, relatable characters. There were so many things conveyed in Grace’s story that people of all ages can take something away from. The idea that putting in the effort and trying your best counts for something is a great reminder for young and older readers alike.
Overall, this was such a great story about life lessons, friendship, and overcoming insecurities.
May 31, 2024
3.5 stars
May 13, 2024
Laurie Morrison writes the gold standard for upper middle grade readers.
May 3, 2024
*3.5 Stars
“There are hundreds of words to describe every possible shade of every colour - just look inside any big crayon box. Why are there never enough words for how things feel?”
I'd like to thank Wunder Kind PR for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.
Instagram Post
Blog Post
Content Warnings: grief, death of a parent (in the past)
Keeping Pace is a coming-of-age story that explores how complex relationships can be, and the struggles of perfectionism. I really enjoyed how much growth Grace went through as a character. Grace is very much a perfectionist and when she commits to something, she dives in head first. But this leads to conflicts in all aspects of her life. Most importantly, it leads to an inner conflict where Grace is beginning to equate how she does in school to how much value she has as a person. By putting herself out there and trying new things, she begins to unlearn some of these habits. Throughout the summer, Grace began to understand how to express her feelings and emotions better with her mother and sister which was very heartwarming to see. In addition to family relationships and friendships, there was also a cute romance side plot that was fun to read about. However, I wish we could have learned more about the side characters, like Grace's sister and cousin, and explored their stories a bit more. Even though there were many characters and side plots, the writing flowed nicely and was easy to follow, making the story feel cohesive as a whole.
“There are hundreds of words to describe every possible shade of every colour - just look inside any big crayon box. Why are there never enough words for how things feel?”
I'd like to thank Wunder Kind PR for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.
Instagram Post
Blog Post
Content Warnings: grief, death of a parent (in the past)
Keeping Pace is a coming-of-age story that explores how complex relationships can be, and the struggles of perfectionism. I really enjoyed how much growth Grace went through as a character. Grace is very much a perfectionist and when she commits to something, she dives in head first. But this leads to conflicts in all aspects of her life. Most importantly, it leads to an inner conflict where Grace is beginning to equate how she does in school to how much value she has as a person. By putting herself out there and trying new things, she begins to unlearn some of these habits. Throughout the summer, Grace began to understand how to express her feelings and emotions better with her mother and sister which was very heartwarming to see. In addition to family relationships and friendships, there was also a cute romance side plot that was fun to read about. However, I wish we could have learned more about the side characters, like Grace's sister and cousin, and explored their stories a bit more. Even though there were many characters and side plots, the writing flowed nicely and was easy to follow, making the story feel cohesive as a whole.
August 2, 2025
4.5
This book was chosen as summer reading for my school’s middle school students and staff, and it is such a sweet tale of first romance, ambition, blended families, and friendship. All of the drama of the middle school years is present, but what I particularly like about this novel is the focus is on taking responsibility for one’s, at times, bewildering actions at this stage of life while also emphasizing grace and forgiveness.
This book was chosen as summer reading for my school’s middle school students and staff, and it is such a sweet tale of first romance, ambition, blended families, and friendship. All of the drama of the middle school years is present, but what I particularly like about this novel is the focus is on taking responsibility for one’s, at times, bewildering actions at this stage of life while also emphasizing grace and forgiveness.
December 7, 2023
Another wonderful read by one of my favorite authors. Keeping Pace fills the gap between middle grade and young adult with a sweet romance and realistic characters navigating all the feelings, choices, and struggles many modern 14-year-olds face. Grace is an overachiever who thrives on goals and checklists: perhaps it gives her a sense of constancy during a time when everything else--her family dynamics, friendships, and the school she'll be attending next year--are changing. Readers will cheer her on as she ponders the meaning of success and discovers what--and who--matters most to her.
April 29, 2024
I loved this as an adult reader 😍😍 and highly recommend it as a middle grade romance. It’s swoony and age appropriate, which is what tween readers want but is SO hard to find! It was so well written with authentic dialogue that made me really feel the character’s experiences. It’s fast paced and the chapters are just the right length every time.
July 28, 2024
This book felt like it was written just for me. So much of my high school self was represented by the main character Grace. Going to school with a close cousin, being academically competitive, the running, and learning some lessons the hard way. So good!
July 20, 2025
This book shows a great example of everyday life and how you won't always get what you want, and if you like friends to enemies to lovers, than this book is for you. It's also about overcoming insecurities and showing that not everything happens the way you want it to. I think this book is great for teens to learn and realize that sometimes hard work isn't always enough, but that doesn't mean you should just give up. It means you should move forward and learn from your past mistakes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2024
This might be my favorite of Morrison’s so far! I saw a lot of myself in Grace, the achievement-focused protagonist, including all her mistakes and flaws. I loved seeing her wrestle with her feelings for Jonah and her own failings in friendship and relationships. I also really enjoyed all the supporting characters, including Celia and Avery, who were struggling with achievement and meaning in their own ways. The moments with Grace’s parents were so real and bittersweet. All Morrison’s books are such thoughtful emotional explorations of the complicated questions of young adolescence. An upper middle grade master strikes again!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2024
Laurie Morrison does it again with her pitch perfect middle grade voice about finding your own pace. Loved the very real feelings and relationships (with parents/family, friends, and crushes) in this upper middle grade novel. This is a book I would have clutched to my heart as when I was in middle school. Layered and rich on so many levels.
October 17, 2024
"This well-paced novel is a balm for readers who may be struggling with senses of self that are narrowly defined by grades or athletic performance...An insightful read that highlights the struggles and strides young people make toward self-awareness." [Kirkus Reviews]
March 23, 2025
I really enjoyed this middle level book. So many life lessons learned by the main character. I loved the addition of her training for a half marathon too.
September 29, 2024
I liked the book’s message that what you do or don’t achieve doesn’t define you.
November 1, 2024
Review originally published on 9 Apr 2024 at Falling Letters. I received a free copy for review.
Keeping Pace marks my first read by Laurie Morrison, an author who writes contemporary upper middle grade. A former teacher, she's "passionate about crafting upper middle grade books for 10-14-year-old readers like the students I used to teach" (source). Last year, she published on her website an overview about the publishing gap of books for readers transitioning from middle grade to young adult, including a working list of titles with 13 or 14 year old protagonists. Keeping Pace has several commonalities to Morrion's previously published works - which is a good thing! There remains a need for books for kids who transitioning from middle to high school.
Keeping Pace explores several different layers of relationships with family and friends, as well as a budding romantic relationship which is uncommon in middle grade. Grace is navigating challenges and changes with her older sister Celia, her Mom, her Dad, her Dad's new girlfriend Brie and the girlfriend's young son Ted, and her cousin/BFF Avery. Most of those supporting characters are also dealing with their own stuff, reflecting one of the main themes of the novel: striving to achieve for achievement's sake vs enjoying a process while you're working through it. I'm going to leave my thoughts on achievement out of this post because they're not totally relevant. Suffice to say I think this book present a fair message that could be beneficial for kids like Grace.
Anyway, I want to highlight the family dynamics a bit more, as they aren't fully touched on in the jacket copy. Here's a wee list to break up the paragraphs of this post lol:
- Feeling isolated from the bond that her Mom and Celia have
- Navigating the distanced relationship with her Dad, as well as the book he's recently published
- Babysitting Brie's son and developing a fondness for the two after an uneasy start
There's something about Grace's voice that feels richly authentic. I don't read a lot of upper middle grade myself (or have much experience with kids that age), so I can't quite pinpoint what it is, but I felt a clear difference between how Grace expresses her hopes, worries, fears, and actions when compared to the voice of a younger middle schooler. I remember well the difference between myself in grade 5 or 6 vs grade 7 or 8. There are some cultural differences between school in Canada and US but it's still a big deal to move up to high school!
I like the trope of creating a summer to do list - it's a classic yet realistic way of framing a story. Grace draws up her list with some intervention from Celia and Avery. The list helps give Grace's summer some direction. Trying new things, growing up in preparation for high school, expanding one's social circle... it made me long for the summers of my youth, haha.
I didn't anticipate going in to this story how much of a romance angle there would be. There were enough hints in the build up, though, that it didn't surprise me when it started to emerge. It was kind of cute the things Grace was noticing about Jonah - things you wouldn't typically note in someone who's just meant to be your academic rival - without acknowledging that those might be signs that she actually does like him... Personally, I don't care to read about romance. I'm all about the complicated friendships and navigating the fall out of a precipitating event lol. But that does also apply to Grace and Jonah's relationship anyway, so even I can appreciate this well-tempered romance (not mushy at all!).
Lastly: I adore contemporary middle grade novels shouting out other middle grades novels I caught references to Rajani LaRocca's Red, White, and Whole and Cindy Baldwin's No Matter the Distance .
The Bottom Line 💭: While there's a lot going on in Keeping Pace, Grace's strikingly real voice and experiences, including her growing pains with achivement and romance, help this book stand out amongst other contemporary middle grade titles.
Keeping Pace marks my first read by Laurie Morrison, an author who writes contemporary upper middle grade. A former teacher, she's "passionate about crafting upper middle grade books for 10-14-year-old readers like the students I used to teach" (source). Last year, she published on her website an overview about the publishing gap of books for readers transitioning from middle grade to young adult, including a working list of titles with 13 or 14 year old protagonists. Keeping Pace has several commonalities to Morrion's previously published works - which is a good thing! There remains a need for books for kids who transitioning from middle to high school.
Keeping Pace explores several different layers of relationships with family and friends, as well as a budding romantic relationship which is uncommon in middle grade. Grace is navigating challenges and changes with her older sister Celia, her Mom, her Dad, her Dad's new girlfriend Brie and the girlfriend's young son Ted, and her cousin/BFF Avery. Most of those supporting characters are also dealing with their own stuff, reflecting one of the main themes of the novel: striving to achieve for achievement's sake vs enjoying a process while you're working through it. I'm going to leave my thoughts on achievement out of this post because they're not totally relevant. Suffice to say I think this book present a fair message that could be beneficial for kids like Grace.
Anyway, I want to highlight the family dynamics a bit more, as they aren't fully touched on in the jacket copy. Here's a wee list to break up the paragraphs of this post lol:
- Feeling isolated from the bond that her Mom and Celia have
- Navigating the distanced relationship with her Dad, as well as the book he's recently published
- Babysitting Brie's son and developing a fondness for the two after an uneasy start
There's something about Grace's voice that feels richly authentic. I don't read a lot of upper middle grade myself (or have much experience with kids that age), so I can't quite pinpoint what it is, but I felt a clear difference between how Grace expresses her hopes, worries, fears, and actions when compared to the voice of a younger middle schooler. I remember well the difference between myself in grade 5 or 6 vs grade 7 or 8. There are some cultural differences between school in Canada and US but it's still a big deal to move up to high school!
I like the trope of creating a summer to do list - it's a classic yet realistic way of framing a story. Grace draws up her list with some intervention from Celia and Avery. The list helps give Grace's summer some direction. Trying new things, growing up in preparation for high school, expanding one's social circle... it made me long for the summers of my youth, haha.
I didn't anticipate going in to this story how much of a romance angle there would be. There were enough hints in the build up, though, that it didn't surprise me when it started to emerge. It was kind of cute the things Grace was noticing about Jonah - things you wouldn't typically note in someone who's just meant to be your academic rival - without acknowledging that those might be signs that she actually does like him... Personally, I don't care to read about romance. I'm all about the complicated friendships and navigating the fall out of a precipitating event lol. But that does also apply to Grace and Jonah's relationship anyway, so even I can appreciate this well-tempered romance (not mushy at all!).
Lastly: I adore contemporary middle grade novels shouting out other middle grades novels I caught references to Rajani LaRocca's Red, White, and Whole and Cindy Baldwin's No Matter the Distance .
The Bottom Line 💭: While there's a lot going on in Keeping Pace, Grace's strikingly real voice and experiences, including her growing pains with achivement and romance, help this book stand out amongst other contemporary middle grade titles.
July 29, 2024
A lot more kissing than I would generally expect in a middle-grade book, but a solid story about finding a healthy balance with achievement. Best suited for middle-school and jr. high. It is fine for elementary, just a bit slow.
Summer Mini24: 18) CROSS-COUNTRY: Related to word “endurance”
Summer Mini24: 18) CROSS-COUNTRY: Related to word “endurance”
January 11, 2024
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
Grace is stressing about her last exams in 8th grade; ever since she started middle school, she has wanted to win the top scholar award and have her name on a plaque in the school hallway. She has two major motivations for this plan; she hopes that maybe her father, a famous writer who was impressed by the award, will want to spend more time with her after her parents' divorce, and also, she hopes to beat her former friend Jonah, with whom she has been in competition since 6th grade. That was the year that her parents divorced, and also the year that Jonah's father died. There were a series of miscommunications that have estranged the two. This is even more difficult because Jonah's grandmother lives right next door to Grace. Her older sister, Celia, and her cousin Avery (who was born the same week she was) tell her to calm down, and to make plans for the summer that don't involve competition, because people should be more than their accomplishments. Devastated when she doesn't win, Grace makes plans for her summer, since she did not make it into an exclusive writing workship she had hoped to attend. Her goals include getting a haircut (Avery's idea), having her first kiss (also Avery's idea), and taking a class. When she meets Jonah when she is out running, a new goal emerges: run a half marathon and beat Jonah. She finds a training plan, and increases the distance on her already long runs. Since Jonah is just starting, she hopes that it will be an easy task. Her training is interrupted by having to babysit the son of her father's new girlfriend, Brie, when Brie is running a storytime at the community center. Sometimes she takes him to the park, where the four year old, experiencing some frustration, runs away. Luckily, Jonah is in the park and catches him. Brie teaches Grace a lot about how to interact with young children so that they can control what they do, and Grace recognizes that this helps a bit what her emotions as well. She and Jonah fall into a pleasant rhythm when they reluctantly train for the marathon together, and do talk about what led to their problems in the past, but in true middle grade fashion, there is another miscommunication. Will Grace be able to set a proper pace for her life, and will she and Jonah be able to communicate properly and remain friends?
Strengths: Morrison is a big advocate for upper middle grade, a cause I support completely. Most midde grade books would benefit from having 8th grade characters, because most children want to read about older characters. Grace is getting ready to go to high school, which intrigues all of my students. I also love that Morrison works sports into her books in such an intriguing way. Grace's lists of things to get done spoke to me VERY loudly; I have a quarter sheet of scrap paper every day with a lengthy list, especilly in the summer! I coached cross country, and it is definitely a sport that appeals to self-driven personalities like Grace. Her animosity towards Jonah is very realistic; I may still hold grudges about people with whom I went to middle school. It's more likely that children have parents who are divorced than deceased, and the logistics of going between two houses could be addressed much more in middle school literature. If authors want emotional dynamite to mine, this is the way to go! Celia and Grace have a great relationship, and having a cousin nearby is fantastic, especially since the two are so different; Avery admitting that sometimes SHE would like to be the one to help Grace was great. There is some age appropriate, very sweet romance that just puts the perfect icing on this story.
Weaknesses: Grace is very obsessed with grades, and it's good to see her trying to balance her emotions about that, but the comment is made several times that we are not our accomplishments. Boy, did that make me think all day! I even posed this question to many staff members. This seems to fall along generational lines. People my age and older agree with me that we are most certainly our accomplishments. Younger people don't. I will have to agree to disagree on this topic philosophically. Even though my GPA in high school was lousy (3.2? I managed to get a scholarship to study Latin, the money being available because few others were foolish enough to agree to a major that would not lead to permanent employment!), my entire self identity is tied to what I can accomplish. Is Morrison's message a better one for young people? Only time will tell.
What I really think:Like Morrison's Coming Up Short, Up For Air, and Every Shiny Thing, which she cowrote with Celia Jensen (who gets a shout out in this book), this is a thought provoking novel of friendship and life lessons that will appeal to a wide range of readers. I'm glad to add this to my list of cross country running books that includes Vicker's Half Moon Summer.
Grace is stressing about her last exams in 8th grade; ever since she started middle school, she has wanted to win the top scholar award and have her name on a plaque in the school hallway. She has two major motivations for this plan; she hopes that maybe her father, a famous writer who was impressed by the award, will want to spend more time with her after her parents' divorce, and also, she hopes to beat her former friend Jonah, with whom she has been in competition since 6th grade. That was the year that her parents divorced, and also the year that Jonah's father died. There were a series of miscommunications that have estranged the two. This is even more difficult because Jonah's grandmother lives right next door to Grace. Her older sister, Celia, and her cousin Avery (who was born the same week she was) tell her to calm down, and to make plans for the summer that don't involve competition, because people should be more than their accomplishments. Devastated when she doesn't win, Grace makes plans for her summer, since she did not make it into an exclusive writing workship she had hoped to attend. Her goals include getting a haircut (Avery's idea), having her first kiss (also Avery's idea), and taking a class. When she meets Jonah when she is out running, a new goal emerges: run a half marathon and beat Jonah. She finds a training plan, and increases the distance on her already long runs. Since Jonah is just starting, she hopes that it will be an easy task. Her training is interrupted by having to babysit the son of her father's new girlfriend, Brie, when Brie is running a storytime at the community center. Sometimes she takes him to the park, where the four year old, experiencing some frustration, runs away. Luckily, Jonah is in the park and catches him. Brie teaches Grace a lot about how to interact with young children so that they can control what they do, and Grace recognizes that this helps a bit what her emotions as well. She and Jonah fall into a pleasant rhythm when they reluctantly train for the marathon together, and do talk about what led to their problems in the past, but in true middle grade fashion, there is another miscommunication. Will Grace be able to set a proper pace for her life, and will she and Jonah be able to communicate properly and remain friends?
Strengths: Morrison is a big advocate for upper middle grade, a cause I support completely. Most midde grade books would benefit from having 8th grade characters, because most children want to read about older characters. Grace is getting ready to go to high school, which intrigues all of my students. I also love that Morrison works sports into her books in such an intriguing way. Grace's lists of things to get done spoke to me VERY loudly; I have a quarter sheet of scrap paper every day with a lengthy list, especilly in the summer! I coached cross country, and it is definitely a sport that appeals to self-driven personalities like Grace. Her animosity towards Jonah is very realistic; I may still hold grudges about people with whom I went to middle school. It's more likely that children have parents who are divorced than deceased, and the logistics of going between two houses could be addressed much more in middle school literature. If authors want emotional dynamite to mine, this is the way to go! Celia and Grace have a great relationship, and having a cousin nearby is fantastic, especially since the two are so different; Avery admitting that sometimes SHE would like to be the one to help Grace was great. There is some age appropriate, very sweet romance that just puts the perfect icing on this story.
Weaknesses: Grace is very obsessed with grades, and it's good to see her trying to balance her emotions about that, but the comment is made several times that we are not our accomplishments. Boy, did that make me think all day! I even posed this question to many staff members. This seems to fall along generational lines. People my age and older agree with me that we are most certainly our accomplishments. Younger people don't. I will have to agree to disagree on this topic philosophically. Even though my GPA in high school was lousy (3.2? I managed to get a scholarship to study Latin, the money being available because few others were foolish enough to agree to a major that would not lead to permanent employment!), my entire self identity is tied to what I can accomplish. Is Morrison's message a better one for young people? Only time will tell.
What I really think:Like Morrison's Coming Up Short, Up For Air, and Every Shiny Thing, which she cowrote with Celia Jensen (who gets a shout out in this book), this is a thought provoking novel of friendship and life lessons that will appeal to a wide range of readers. I'm glad to add this to my list of cross country running books that includes Vicker's Half Moon Summer.
February 25, 2024
What worked:
This story follows the emotional ups and downs of Grace’s life as she prepares to enter high school. As the synopsis states, middle school found her obsessed with trying to out-perform her former best friend Jonah only to finish second to him for the highest academic award. Then, Jonah informs her that he’ll be attending a different high school in the fall so Grace won’t have a chance to continue their rivalry. He’s won! Grace is so fixated on beating Jonah that she doesn’t realize how it’s affecting her social life. Her cousin Avery stops inviting her to hang out with their friends since Grace almost always says she’s busy studying for an exam or working on a project. She’s so consumed with defeating Jonah that maybe she’s failed to notice they might be friends.
The confusion created by adolescent hormones and tricky relationships with other people are very common at this age and Grace finds herself thrown into the thick of it. Jonah starts to become a little less annoying and Grace allows him to run with her. They chat during their workouts without upsetting each other and they’re able to reveal feelings and experiences they’ve kept hidden. Grace and Avery have always been super close, they were born only a couple of days apart, but Grace wonders if entering high school might change their connection. Grace begins to notice Avery is hanging out with other people at the pool and she’s worried she may be losing her cousin. Also, Avery has a new boyfriend and is busy with high school soccer practices which leaves less time for her to hang out with Grace. Can their relationship withstand the new challenges?
Grace and Jonah don’t have fathers living with them but for different reasons. Grace’s parents are divorced and her father has been dating another woman. Grace is hurt that he doesn’t have much time for her anymore and babysitting his new girlfriend’s son will be a new experience. Grace’s mother and sister are “two peas in a pod” which leaves Grace feeling like she’s the odd person out. Jonah’s father died around the same time Grace’s parents were splitting up and he’s still dealing with the emotional loss. Grace wants to be supportive since they were once best friends but their past battles and teasing remarks make it challenging to talk about feelings. Things seem to be improving between the pair until Grace’s list of summer goals blows up in her face.
What didn’t work as well:
The focus on boy-girl relationships and running long distances may not appeal to a wide audience. However, the author captures the emotional confusion of girls at this age and the many challenging situations they may encounter. The running parts of the story act as a thread that connects the entire plot.
The final verdict:
This book should appeal to middle-grade girls as it addresses a variety of common experiences. The death of a parent or divorce is caringly included along with the potentially traumatic feelings of first love. Overall, I recommend you give this tender story a shot.
This story follows the emotional ups and downs of Grace’s life as she prepares to enter high school. As the synopsis states, middle school found her obsessed with trying to out-perform her former best friend Jonah only to finish second to him for the highest academic award. Then, Jonah informs her that he’ll be attending a different high school in the fall so Grace won’t have a chance to continue their rivalry. He’s won! Grace is so fixated on beating Jonah that she doesn’t realize how it’s affecting her social life. Her cousin Avery stops inviting her to hang out with their friends since Grace almost always says she’s busy studying for an exam or working on a project. She’s so consumed with defeating Jonah that maybe she’s failed to notice they might be friends.
The confusion created by adolescent hormones and tricky relationships with other people are very common at this age and Grace finds herself thrown into the thick of it. Jonah starts to become a little less annoying and Grace allows him to run with her. They chat during their workouts without upsetting each other and they’re able to reveal feelings and experiences they’ve kept hidden. Grace and Avery have always been super close, they were born only a couple of days apart, but Grace wonders if entering high school might change their connection. Grace begins to notice Avery is hanging out with other people at the pool and she’s worried she may be losing her cousin. Also, Avery has a new boyfriend and is busy with high school soccer practices which leaves less time for her to hang out with Grace. Can their relationship withstand the new challenges?
Grace and Jonah don’t have fathers living with them but for different reasons. Grace’s parents are divorced and her father has been dating another woman. Grace is hurt that he doesn’t have much time for her anymore and babysitting his new girlfriend’s son will be a new experience. Grace’s mother and sister are “two peas in a pod” which leaves Grace feeling like she’s the odd person out. Jonah’s father died around the same time Grace’s parents were splitting up and he’s still dealing with the emotional loss. Grace wants to be supportive since they were once best friends but their past battles and teasing remarks make it challenging to talk about feelings. Things seem to be improving between the pair until Grace’s list of summer goals blows up in her face.
What didn’t work as well:
The focus on boy-girl relationships and running long distances may not appeal to a wide audience. However, the author captures the emotional confusion of girls at this age and the many challenging situations they may encounter. The running parts of the story act as a thread that connects the entire plot.
The final verdict:
This book should appeal to middle-grade girls as it addresses a variety of common experiences. The death of a parent or divorce is caringly included along with the potentially traumatic feelings of first love. Overall, I recommend you give this tender story a shot.
July 1, 2024
Grace has been working her entire middle grade career to win top scholar at her school. She knows it will impress her writer father who has divorced her mother. But her arch enemy, rival, and former friend, Jonah Perkins, gets the accolade and his name will go on the plaque at school in “Keeping Pace” (Amulet 2024) by Laurie Morrison. At the graduation ceremony, Grace begrudgingly accepts second best, wearing her sister’s three-year-old hand-me-down home-made dress.
Now that it’s summer and she wasn’t accepted into the intensive writing camp she’d applied for, she doesn’t know how she’ll fill the hours. She starts running with her older sister, Celia. She says about the hill, “It doesn’t seem like much of an incline, but slopes feel a lot steeper to your legs and your lungs than they look to your eyes.” In a way, this sums up what Grace will be learning this summer. Life isn’t always as it looks. But the endorphins from the workout are making her feel wonderful.
She decides she’ll run the marathon at the end of summer—something that Jonah and she, years ago, had said they’d one day do. Their friendship grew strained a couple years prior to eighth grade when Jonah’s father died unexpectedly. Jonah started saying mean things about Grace, to his friends. Grace didn’t know what she’d done to deserve this.
Grace’s best friend and cousin, Avery, is hanging out with other girls. It turns out Grace spaced out and missed hearing or caring about a friend’s summer plans. Jade says, “‘I think you’ve missed everything that doesn’t have to do with exams or Jonah Perkins lately,’” Grace has been sparring academically with Jonah, for sure. But next year he’s going to a private school and Grace will sort of miss competing with him. But she can’t stand him!
Grace finds a training program for marathon running on-line and starts a rigorous daily workout which she outlines at the beginning of each chapter. Jonah tags along one day and wants to join her daily run. Grace thinks, Great, then he can win the marathon as well. No way. But over time they run into each other on the trails. We know what is going to happen, but it’s the way it happens gradually, with authenticity, subtlety with sly humor, that grabs us.
Grace is also in touch with her clueless father who is too busy writing to truly care about her, but he thinks she might want to babysit his girlfriend’s three-year-old. “Brie—that’s his girlfriend’s name. Like the cheese. Ironic since Dad is lactose intolerant.” The babysitting job works well, but Dad even botches that.
Along the way, Grace learns that there are more important goals in life than achieving good grades.
Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of the award-winning books: Lift As You Climb; Josephine; Loving vs Virginia; and Struttin’ With Some Barbecue all signed and for sale at Jane Addams bookstore. Her forthcoming books are about women’s suffrage, Martha Graham, Ella Fitzgerald, as well as poems about waterfowl. talesforallages.com
Now that it’s summer and she wasn’t accepted into the intensive writing camp she’d applied for, she doesn’t know how she’ll fill the hours. She starts running with her older sister, Celia. She says about the hill, “It doesn’t seem like much of an incline, but slopes feel a lot steeper to your legs and your lungs than they look to your eyes.” In a way, this sums up what Grace will be learning this summer. Life isn’t always as it looks. But the endorphins from the workout are making her feel wonderful.
She decides she’ll run the marathon at the end of summer—something that Jonah and she, years ago, had said they’d one day do. Their friendship grew strained a couple years prior to eighth grade when Jonah’s father died unexpectedly. Jonah started saying mean things about Grace, to his friends. Grace didn’t know what she’d done to deserve this.
Grace’s best friend and cousin, Avery, is hanging out with other girls. It turns out Grace spaced out and missed hearing or caring about a friend’s summer plans. Jade says, “‘I think you’ve missed everything that doesn’t have to do with exams or Jonah Perkins lately,’” Grace has been sparring academically with Jonah, for sure. But next year he’s going to a private school and Grace will sort of miss competing with him. But she can’t stand him!
Grace finds a training program for marathon running on-line and starts a rigorous daily workout which she outlines at the beginning of each chapter. Jonah tags along one day and wants to join her daily run. Grace thinks, Great, then he can win the marathon as well. No way. But over time they run into each other on the trails. We know what is going to happen, but it’s the way it happens gradually, with authenticity, subtlety with sly humor, that grabs us.
Grace is also in touch with her clueless father who is too busy writing to truly care about her, but he thinks she might want to babysit his girlfriend’s three-year-old. “Brie—that’s his girlfriend’s name. Like the cheese. Ironic since Dad is lactose intolerant.” The babysitting job works well, but Dad even botches that.
Along the way, Grace learns that there are more important goals in life than achieving good grades.
Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of the award-winning books: Lift As You Climb; Josephine; Loving vs Virginia; and Struttin’ With Some Barbecue all signed and for sale at Jane Addams bookstore. Her forthcoming books are about women’s suffrage, Martha Graham, Ella Fitzgerald, as well as poems about waterfowl. talesforallages.com
March 24, 2024
Grace is determined to beat Jonah and become the top scholar of the eighth grade, but unexpected, tiny incidents throw her out of her groove, and she loses to him. Again. It's an on-going competition between the two, and Grace is determined to beat him at something. When her best friend creates a summer-to-do-list for her, Grace makes sure to add the half-marathon to her list. After all, Jonah is taking part and this might just be her chance to prove she can beat him at something. Despite determination and a solid work-out plan, other things keep popping up to make Grace's life more challenging, including a baby-sitting job for her father's latest girlfriend's son. As she struggles to keep everything going, she's also discovering more about her own desires and emotions...and it might mean that what she's fighting for isn't really what she wants after all.
The interactions between Grace, her friends, her family, and those around her come across extremely natural, making this an easy story to sink into. The dialogue flows with the finesse of usual conversation and lets the personalities shine through. There are ups and downs, heart-warming moments and clashes. Many of these will come across as familiar to readers and create situations they can sympathize with. Add Grace's determination and good moral compass, and she's a character to identify with and root for.
While Grace's desire to defeat Jonah drives the main plot, it's more like icing on a thicker cake as the subplots weave in more difficult themes. Grace's desire to win isn't simple and might hang more on her parents' divorce a couple years before. Her problems steering between two parents' lives will hit home with many readers, and the toss-in of baby-sitting the girlfriend's child adds a difficult twist, while offering new insights Grace needs. There are also things to be worked out between relatives and friends, but all of this includes wholesome moments and lots of growth. So, there are many great messages packed into this read. And there's a hint of romance, which will delight as well.
The only weakness I found...and it's more of a personal opinion than a true weakness...is in the message of not being defined by your accomplishments. Grace hears this message over and over again, especially in connection to her grades. It hits strongly and while it is important to realize reaching high goals isn't everything, it almost undermines the idea that it's still important to try and give the effort. But as said, that's just me and it's still a very lovely read.
All in all, I found this to be a wonderful and extremely well done read, and believe it will connect with quite a few readers in a valuable way. I received an ARC and loved how well these characters come across.
The interactions between Grace, her friends, her family, and those around her come across extremely natural, making this an easy story to sink into. The dialogue flows with the finesse of usual conversation and lets the personalities shine through. There are ups and downs, heart-warming moments and clashes. Many of these will come across as familiar to readers and create situations they can sympathize with. Add Grace's determination and good moral compass, and she's a character to identify with and root for.
While Grace's desire to defeat Jonah drives the main plot, it's more like icing on a thicker cake as the subplots weave in more difficult themes. Grace's desire to win isn't simple and might hang more on her parents' divorce a couple years before. Her problems steering between two parents' lives will hit home with many readers, and the toss-in of baby-sitting the girlfriend's child adds a difficult twist, while offering new insights Grace needs. There are also things to be worked out between relatives and friends, but all of this includes wholesome moments and lots of growth. So, there are many great messages packed into this read. And there's a hint of romance, which will delight as well.
The only weakness I found...and it's more of a personal opinion than a true weakness...is in the message of not being defined by your accomplishments. Grace hears this message over and over again, especially in connection to her grades. It hits strongly and while it is important to realize reaching high goals isn't everything, it almost undermines the idea that it's still important to try and give the effort. But as said, that's just me and it's still a very lovely read.
All in all, I found this to be a wonderful and extremely well done read, and believe it will connect with quite a few readers in a valuable way. I received an ARC and loved how well these characters come across.
February 5, 2024
“Mistakes are proof that you need to improve,…. But maybe mistakes are just…unavoidable. Sometimes we hurt people’s feelings on purpose. Sometimes we hurt people’s feeling by accident. Sometimes we have no idea we’re hurting someone’s feelings until the harm is done, and then we have no idea how to fix it what we’ve messed up. Maybe I’m a slow learner, when it comes to stuff like this.” (ARC, 228)
Just in time for Valentine Day (although not published until April 2024), a story of first love (or at least a first crush) and learning self-awareness and self-love.
Grace has to be perfect, like winning Top Scholar, and the one person keeping her from her goal is her former best friend Jonah. Grace and Jonah used to be inseparable, but after his father died and he came back from private school to Grace’s school, something changed and he no longer wanted to be friends, despite the fact that her friends and sister think she is obsessed with him, and his friends—even his ex-girlfriend—think he is obsessed with Grace.
After she loses 8th grade Top Scholar to Jonah by ½ point, Grace has to come up with new goals for the summer. She makes a list (which seems to be a favorite strategy). One item added by her best-friend-cousin-“twin” is making a new friend, and one she adds is beating Jonah in a half-marathon that he was to run with his father.
As she is forced to try new things, Grace does make a new friend, learns to become a better friend to those she has, realizes that sometimes you can see things from different perspectives, is forced to be flexible and change plans, and discovers that winning may not be more important than having fun—and friend and family relationships. “The contest is important to me.” “More important than Jonah?” I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have to choose!”
In the midst of this, she is dealing with her divorced father and his expectations (ambition at all costs) and his new girlfriend and fitting in with her mother and sister (“two peas in a pod”). In other words, all the angst of young adolescence.
But through these trials and mistakes, she learns. “…I’m starting to think that success isn’t just one thing…. Maybe we only appreciate success after setbacks. Maybe we only understand what it means to achieve after we’ve failed. But maybe there’s that optical illusion effect, too. You look at something from one angle, and it’s not so impressive. You look at it from a slightly different perspective, and it is.” (ARC, 270)
A story of relationships, loss, identity, a first kiss—and pace
Just in time for Valentine Day (although not published until April 2024), a story of first love (or at least a first crush) and learning self-awareness and self-love.
Grace has to be perfect, like winning Top Scholar, and the one person keeping her from her goal is her former best friend Jonah. Grace and Jonah used to be inseparable, but after his father died and he came back from private school to Grace’s school, something changed and he no longer wanted to be friends, despite the fact that her friends and sister think she is obsessed with him, and his friends—even his ex-girlfriend—think he is obsessed with Grace.
After she loses 8th grade Top Scholar to Jonah by ½ point, Grace has to come up with new goals for the summer. She makes a list (which seems to be a favorite strategy). One item added by her best-friend-cousin-“twin” is making a new friend, and one she adds is beating Jonah in a half-marathon that he was to run with his father.
As she is forced to try new things, Grace does make a new friend, learns to become a better friend to those she has, realizes that sometimes you can see things from different perspectives, is forced to be flexible and change plans, and discovers that winning may not be more important than having fun—and friend and family relationships. “The contest is important to me.” “More important than Jonah?” I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have to choose!”
In the midst of this, she is dealing with her divorced father and his expectations (ambition at all costs) and his new girlfriend and fitting in with her mother and sister (“two peas in a pod”). In other words, all the angst of young adolescence.
But through these trials and mistakes, she learns. “…I’m starting to think that success isn’t just one thing…. Maybe we only appreciate success after setbacks. Maybe we only understand what it means to achieve after we’ve failed. But maybe there’s that optical illusion effect, too. You look at something from one angle, and it’s not so impressive. You look at it from a slightly different perspective, and it is.” (ARC, 270)
A story of relationships, loss, identity, a first kiss—and pace
May 13, 2024
Grace is a competitor. She has long dreamed of earning the title of top scholar when she graduates from middle school. The only thing that could stand in her way is Jonah Perkins. They used to be best friends, but Jonah had gone to a fancy-schmancy private school for a couple years before coming back for eighth grade, and they are both at the top of the class. Avery, Grace’s cous-twin (cousins born a few days apart) wishes Grace would lighten up and have more fun. Grace’s older sister, Celia, gets Grace to run with her, hoping to help Grace focus on something other than grades. But Grace can’t let go of her obsession with the award, and she is crushed when Johah wins top scholar by half a point, and worse, Grace is given a consolation certificate. Ugh!
Grace focuses on running for the summer when she isn’t babysitting her father’s girlfriend’s son and dealing with her feelings about her parents’ divorce. She finds out Jonah is training for a half marathon, one he wanted to run with his father who had died recently. Grace and Jonah start running together and begin to have feelings for each other. But Grace isn’t always able to express herself well, and she ends up alienating both Jonah and Avery! It’s a lot. Can she possibly find her way out of the mess she created and salvage anything?
Laurie Morrison has written a terrific book that is sure to find tons of more sophisticated MG readers who like a little romance and a more complex story than most MG books. The characters are all well-rounded and have complete backstories of their own, adding a lot of richness to the story. She perfectly highlights just how difficult it is for Tweens to navigate this complicated time in their lives. The dialogue is just right for the age, and Grace’s first-person narration will completely draw readers into Grace’s world. And there is a LOT going on in Grace’s world to keep them turning those pages. I could hardly put this one down. I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wrote this review for my blog at https://rosihollinbeck.com/blog
Grace focuses on running for the summer when she isn’t babysitting her father’s girlfriend’s son and dealing with her feelings about her parents’ divorce. She finds out Jonah is training for a half marathon, one he wanted to run with his father who had died recently. Grace and Jonah start running together and begin to have feelings for each other. But Grace isn’t always able to express herself well, and she ends up alienating both Jonah and Avery! It’s a lot. Can she possibly find her way out of the mess she created and salvage anything?
Laurie Morrison has written a terrific book that is sure to find tons of more sophisticated MG readers who like a little romance and a more complex story than most MG books. The characters are all well-rounded and have complete backstories of their own, adding a lot of richness to the story. She perfectly highlights just how difficult it is for Tweens to navigate this complicated time in their lives. The dialogue is just right for the age, and Grace’s first-person narration will completely draw readers into Grace’s world. And there is a LOT going on in Grace’s world to keep them turning those pages. I could hardly put this one down. I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I wrote this review for my blog at https://rosihollinbeck.com/blog
August 10, 2024
I picked this book up for the way it was marketed. An upper middle grade/teen read. Indeed the more I am in the library world and reading YA, the more I see how both the subject matter, and the protagonists, are aimed towards older teens or even adults. What do you do with a protagonist who is 13? How do you write a book that is appealing and tackles things like first kiss, graduating middle school, crushes and friendships, in a way that is age appropriate and yet what others will want to read.
I am very happy to say that Keeping Pace is a book I will recommend to my younger teen audiences. It's clean (mentions of kissing with a little bit of tongue is as far as sexual content), no language, and it is very relatable. It's a sports book where training for a half marathon is the backdrop for self discovery. So yay for all the runners out there (of which I am not). Keeping pace also handles perfectionism, competition, and doing something just because you love it....not because you have to be the best at it. As someone who struggled with these things at middle school age level, I would have appreciated a heroine like Grace. By golly did I identify with her.
Here's the thing. Everyone in this book is likable. Well except Grace's dad (but that's a whole crucial point of the story and well done). Librarians are used as role models and protective factors and encouragers (yeah we are!). Friends go through misunderstandings but there is no back biting. Some might say the book has rose colored glasses on but I beg to differ. It's a book that wants to show the positive side of growing up, with no murder, cussing, or sex. And I appreciated knowing that there are books like Keeping Pace out there--doing their best to keep up with the need for young romanctic YA literature.
I am very happy to say that Keeping Pace is a book I will recommend to my younger teen audiences. It's clean (mentions of kissing with a little bit of tongue is as far as sexual content), no language, and it is very relatable. It's a sports book where training for a half marathon is the backdrop for self discovery. So yay for all the runners out there (of which I am not). Keeping pace also handles perfectionism, competition, and doing something just because you love it....not because you have to be the best at it. As someone who struggled with these things at middle school age level, I would have appreciated a heroine like Grace. By golly did I identify with her.
Here's the thing. Everyone in this book is likable. Well except Grace's dad (but that's a whole crucial point of the story and well done). Librarians are used as role models and protective factors and encouragers (yeah we are!). Friends go through misunderstandings but there is no back biting. Some might say the book has rose colored glasses on but I beg to differ. It's a book that wants to show the positive side of growing up, with no murder, cussing, or sex. And I appreciated knowing that there are books like Keeping Pace out there--doing their best to keep up with the need for young romanctic YA literature.
January 28, 2024
🏃♀️After finishing Addie LaRue I was in a major reading slump. Nothing was appealing to me. After some fortunate coincidences I got a digital copy of Keeping Pace by @laurielmorrison.
🏃♀️It was the perfect read to wake me up from my reading slump. I literally finished it, in one sitting.
🏃♀️Gracie finishes eighth grade second. She misses the first place in her class by half a point from Jonah, her former friend turned arch enemy. She signs to run a half marathon to enrich her summer holidays. Guess who's also participating. Jonah! This is her opportunity to take revenge and beat him in the marathon. But....fine, fine, you can read the book, I won't spoil it.
🏃♀️Now, I don't know if @laurielmorrison has kids in their teen phase but oh, boy can she write about teens. I'm a grown woman and I felt like Gracie, all over again. Gracie was such a cute character with insecurities that she tried to overcome. Without being extremely over the top -which don't get me wrong, it wouldn't be bad, I mean, hormones? Hello?- she didn't always dealt her problems with maturity but come on, she's only 14 years old, cut her some slack, will you?
🏃♀️I really love books that teach you a lesson. And you know what Keeping Pace taught me? That even if you strive to be the best it's the effort that counts. And sometimes, all you can do it's keeping pace. And that's okay.
🏃♀️It was the perfect read to wake me up from my reading slump. I literally finished it, in one sitting.
🏃♀️Gracie finishes eighth grade second. She misses the first place in her class by half a point from Jonah, her former friend turned arch enemy. She signs to run a half marathon to enrich her summer holidays. Guess who's also participating. Jonah! This is her opportunity to take revenge and beat him in the marathon. But....fine, fine, you can read the book, I won't spoil it.
🏃♀️Now, I don't know if @laurielmorrison has kids in their teen phase but oh, boy can she write about teens. I'm a grown woman and I felt like Gracie, all over again. Gracie was such a cute character with insecurities that she tried to overcome. Without being extremely over the top -which don't get me wrong, it wouldn't be bad, I mean, hormones? Hello?- she didn't always dealt her problems with maturity but come on, she's only 14 years old, cut her some slack, will you?
🏃♀️I really love books that teach you a lesson. And you know what Keeping Pace taught me? That even if you strive to be the best it's the effort that counts. And sometimes, all you can do it's keeping pace. And that's okay.
April 8, 2024
I loved this book. There is so much to learn from this story. Its a look at good friendships through middle school and of figuring out who you are in those friendships.
I loved Grace and watching her learn that mistakes are okay to make. That they don't just mean you are trying, but that you are learning and working on yourself.
Grace and Jonah, that friendship through the years and how it has ebbed and flowed and grown. I liked that they were learning though each other and realizing that they worked well together.
I also loved Grace's relationships with Avery, Celia & her family. I liked how she learned from Teddy while babysitting him. And I liked that she really looked at things through a child's eyes, but realized how it changes as you grow and learn. I liked that she really looked at and analyzed her relationship with her dad.
There is so much good stuff going on in this book, so much to learn from it. I teared up a few times and I also laughed and smiled right along with these characters.
I loved the running aspect to and how it's good for Grace and teaches her some things along the way too.
There is so much that adults and middle grade readers can learn from this book. I will be putting this into everyone's hands.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
I loved Grace and watching her learn that mistakes are okay to make. That they don't just mean you are trying, but that you are learning and working on yourself.
Grace and Jonah, that friendship through the years and how it has ebbed and flowed and grown. I liked that they were learning though each other and realizing that they worked well together.
I also loved Grace's relationships with Avery, Celia & her family. I liked how she learned from Teddy while babysitting him. And I liked that she really looked at things through a child's eyes, but realized how it changes as you grow and learn. I liked that she really looked at and analyzed her relationship with her dad.
There is so much good stuff going on in this book, so much to learn from it. I teared up a few times and I also laughed and smiled right along with these characters.
I loved the running aspect to and how it's good for Grace and teaches her some things along the way too.
There is so much that adults and middle grade readers can learn from this book. I will be putting this into everyone's hands.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
May 1, 2024
This was a wonderful contemporary fiction upper middle grade book! Recommended for ages 10+. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author Laurie Morrison for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication date.
I requested this book because my 7th grade daughter is in cross country and track. Which is kind of funny because she actually doesn't like running! But she loves the social aspect of the sport, and has made some great friends along the way. Her dad and I both run recreationally, me having slowed down quite a bit as I battle middle aged injuries, so I adored the premise of two rivals with the goal of running a half marathon in 8 weeks. As someone who has run a few half marathons, I loved the training plan!
But this book was so much more, and I really appreciated the themes woven in. Dealing with the death of a parent and the grief and uncertainty that follows for one of the characters, and dealing with divorce and opposing parents for another one of the characters. There was also a lot about friendship, ambition, flexibility, and some romance for these two 14 year old rivals! Who used to be best friends during elementary school, then turned bitter rivals during middle school, to add to the background.
A very enjoyable read that I think my daughter will enjoy!
I requested this book because my 7th grade daughter is in cross country and track. Which is kind of funny because she actually doesn't like running! But she loves the social aspect of the sport, and has made some great friends along the way. Her dad and I both run recreationally, me having slowed down quite a bit as I battle middle aged injuries, so I adored the premise of two rivals with the goal of running a half marathon in 8 weeks. As someone who has run a few half marathons, I loved the training plan!
But this book was so much more, and I really appreciated the themes woven in. Dealing with the death of a parent and the grief and uncertainty that follows for one of the characters, and dealing with divorce and opposing parents for another one of the characters. There was also a lot about friendship, ambition, flexibility, and some romance for these two 14 year old rivals! Who used to be best friends during elementary school, then turned bitter rivals during middle school, to add to the background.
A very enjoyable read that I think my daughter will enjoy!
January 2, 2024
Wonderful middle grade novel that will evoke so much emotion in its readers. 8th grade graduate Grace is hyper competitive in everything she does and has high expectations for herself always. But nothing seems to be going the way she planned and she doesn’t have any back up. Or does she? With the help of friends and family, new goals are set and she takes off with her usual determination. Morrison’s title, Keeping Pace, and the cover design reveals running as Grace’s focus, but there is so much more than just a race packed into this novel. “Pacing” becomes a metaphor for the speed at which people learn as other life events that move along at different speeds for all of us. Choices and goals for cousin Avery, sister Celia and long time friend Jonah change and sometimes they “race” together and other times, miles apart. Morrison’s characters experience loss, family upheaval, disappointment as well as joy, love and success making this a book that is highly relatable for those in grades 5-8 and I loved it from beginning to end. Text is free of profanity and violence and while there is some hand-holding and kissing between a few of the characters, that is the extent of the physical contact.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
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