The room began to spin around Melinda. She felt lightheaded as memories of her mother rushed past. Things made sense now. . . She'd found pieces to a puzzle she didn't even know were missing, until now.. Running Home is an extremely engaging book, and it grapples with problems of tremendous importance to the young reader. It's fun to read, and it's quite moving in all the right places. Author Floyd Kemske Melinda Overstreet tries to start a new life after the tragic death of her single mother. Forced to move from her small Oregon coastal town to a bustling Chicago suburb, Melinda must adjust to living with an elusive uncle she's never met, attending a new school and finding out the truth about her mother's mysterious past. She and her new friend Jillian set out on a quest to find the answers. She consoles herself with the passion that she and her mother shared: running. But when she joins the cross-country team, it sets her on a collision course with Ashleigh, the school's intimidating and insensitive running star. | Running Home: A Quest For Answers by Tonya Jean Mcgue, Paperback | Indigo Chapters