Running refers to Marianna Ruiz’ father who is a US Senator running on the Republican ticket for US President. As a 15 year old Cuban American from a family of immigrants, Mariana faces a new reality. Public scrutiny, 60 Minute style tour of their home, tabloids printing doctored photos and made up scandals about the family. Marianna, who has led a sheltered and privileged life to this point, but as tensions rise in her family, Marianna begins to learn things about her father that she did not previously know.

As she learns more about her father’s political positions on environmental issues and immigration, her opinion of him changes. He is not the man she thought he was. It is normal for a teen to disagree with a parent’s views, but iMarianna found it very hard to stand up and speak out against her father with their family in the national spotlight.

Running is a good coming of age story, especially for students who are interested in politics and current affairs.