Reason to Run

Silver, Young Adult Fiction, 2024 IPNE Award

For fans of Jeff Zentner, John Green, Matthew Quick, and sports fiction classics like Once a Runner, Vision Quest, The Rider, and Breaking Away.

Set in 1980s suburban Chicago, A Reason to Run is a thrilling and heartwarming coming-of-age story about a teenage boy who learns how to live after a tragic accident nearly ends his life.

Days before his senior year of high school, a violent bicycling accident destroys Sam Bagliarello's plans to escape the isolation of his hometown and his family's battles with substance abuse, mental illness, and financial ruin. When Sam starts running as physical therapy, he discovers an exceptional natural talent, a new form of escape, and an opportunity to heal his broken body along with the broken relationships in his life.

A Reason to Run offers a vivid take on recovery from tragedy, the intensity of competitive running, and a teen's revelation that somewhere in the messiness of life is the stuff that matters.