Auma's Long Run

The Essentials: When Parents Get Sick
By Julia Smith.

In recent years, we’ve noticed an influx of books that portray children dealing with having a sick parent. The emotional and practical demands of having a loved one with a mental or physical illness are complex, and these middle-grade novels take nuanced looks at kid characters finding inner strength and external support to weather unforeseen health crises.

Auma’s Long Run. By Eucabeth Odhiambo. 2017. Carolrhoda, $17.99 (9781512427844). Gr. 6–8.

Auma dreams of winning a high-school track scholarship that will take her out of her Kenyan village; however, when her father grows seriously ill with AIDS, she must decide whether to continue her schooling or work to feed her family. In this gut-wrenching look at the 1990s AIDS epidemic, Odhiambo flawlessly weaves Kenyan culture with preteen problems.

“Odhiambo’s heartbreaking tale of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s weaves the many threads of the disease’s course into one accessible cloth.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“[Odhiambo] give[s] life to the authentic and realistic character of Auma—a young woman to believe in—and to put a human face on the epidemic that still affects Kenya.”—Shelf Awareness

“Odihambo flawlessly weaves Kenyan tradition and culture with appropriate preteen problems . . . . [T]his novel would be an excellent asset to classrooms everywhere.”—Booklist

“A hard-hitting story of a resilient and intelligent girl who bravely confronts a devastating health crisis.”—starred, Publishers Weekly

“Auma treats readers to beautiful descriptions of the world around her but also gives them a candid look at the fear and superstition surrounding AIDs in its early days in Kenya as well as the grief of loss. . . . Honestly told, Auma’s tale humanizes and contextualizes the AIDs experience in Kenya without sensationalizing it.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews

“In Auma’s Long Run, Eucabeth Odhiambo shares an unflinching look at the AIDS epidemic’s impact on one Kenyan village and introduces readers to a determined heroine with a commitment to knowledge and a fierce dedication to her family. This is a powerful book that will spark important conversations.”—Kate Messner, author of The Exact Location of Home and The Seventh Wish

“[A] moving testament to the power of determination to overcome overwhelming odds is a recommended purchase for all libraries.”—starred, School Library Journal

“Whether the reader is looking to read a good story or learn something, Auma’s Long Run will satisfy.”—Jennifer Wills Geraedts, Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery

“As moving as it is accessible and informative, Auma’s Long Run is a superb story which will resonate richly in the minds of young readers.”—Kenny Brechner, Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers

“Open this book and experience Auma’s beautiful story.”—Shane Mullen, Left Bank Books

“I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a strong female lead character.”—Angela Schwesnedl, Moon Palace Books, Minneapolis, MN

“A heartfelt story of loss and sacrifice, dreams and resilience.”—Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, author of Coretta Scott King Honoree No Crystal Stair