“You are useless, kid. Useless. Why do I have to take care of you? You just hold me back. Useless.” Travis put his hand on his stomach. He felt the bruise from his father’s blow, but what his father had said hurt more. Useless. I’m not useless. I can run. That’s one thing I can do. “I’m tired of being afraid,” Travis said. He said it softly. He said it to himself. I can’t stay here, Travis thought. The thought surprised him. But how can I leave my father? Then another thought hit him. It hit him harder than his father’s drunken fists. I have to leave. I have to run. Not tomorrow. Now! Follow Travis Hawk on a cross-country trek as he escapes a world of brutality and uncertainty and puts his trust,and even his very life, in the hands of total strangers. Travis’s story is one of struggle, survival, risk, and resilience,navigating a solo journey of hundreds of miles to seek a safe haven, far from the demons of his past.

Praise for The Long Run

“The Long Run will keep young readers turning pages. Its protagonist, Travis Hawk, is a 17-year-old whose mother’s passing caused an acceleration in his father’s drinking. With nowhere else to turn, Travis decides to run back to the only loving home he knows and embark on a cross-country trip from Seattle to Maine to reconnect with his grandparents. The Long Run is a stirring story about a young man who empowers himself to succeed against the odds.”

––Ryan Winn, Tribal College Journal, Fall 2017

Praise for Joseph Bruchac

“Joseph Bruchac’s books are about empowerment. They relay stories of morally sound Native protagonists who face great adversity. Often, the central characters are young adults whose elders have taught them about both their Indigenous traditions and self-defense. Their honed moral and physical strength allows these teenagers to face the various trials of an unjust world.”

––Ryan Winn, Tribal College Journal, Fall 2017