Running for My Life is the powerful story of Andrea McKane, a fourteen-year-old who struggles to cope with her mother's schizophrenia. She must face the heartbreaking fact that her mother, with whom she once laughed and played, has vanished into her disease, possibly forever. The book accurately portrays the difficulties a teen faces when dealing with the illness, the abuse and absence of a psychotic parent. Running for My Life shows the effects of mental illness on a family, and a teenager's attempts to manage the changes that have shaken her life. With courage, strength, and the loving support of her friends, her father, and her therapist, Andrea finds salvation through running. Running for My Life represents a breakthrough effort in portraying the challenges children deal with when they have to protect themselves from a guardian.
Praise for Running for My Life:
“Takes on a serious and complex topic ... and treats it with great earnestness .... Teen readers who are curious about mental health issues and family dynamics will appreciate the accessibility of the complex topics here. Gonzalez has a good ear for dialogue and shows just enough of Andrea’s adult support system to suit teens caught between the pull of independence and the uncertainties of their own wisdom.”
