Life for Mariana "Mari" has always been about politics. Her father has held state offices, served as a Senator in DC, and now he's running for president. This means that Mari and her little brother are constantly appearing at rallies to show their support for their father. It's not Mari's favorite thing to do, but according to the people running the Ruiz for Prez campaign, it's necessary.
When Mari's best friend Vivi's parents get divorced and her father sells their home to a land developer, Mari begins to see first hand how politics really works. The developer is a huge supporter of her father's campaign which didn't raise any red flags until Mari joins a school political group interested in revealing some shady dealing involving contaminated water in the Miami area.
By following the money Mari learns that her father has been working with the developer to assure the new building project can go full steam ahead despite the fact that chemicals being dumped illegally may be making people sick. It's even worse when Mari discovers Vivi's grandmother may have fallen victim to the tainted water.
Of course, when Mari questions her father, she is told to keep quiet and step aside for the sake of the campaign. The more Mari learns, the more determined she becomes to speak up and hold her father accountable. Can she make a difference or will she ruin his chances to win the Florida primary and move on in his bid for the White House?
RUNNING by Natalie Sylvester speaks to the political atmosphere of today. Written in a straightforward, no-nonsense style, RUNNING will capture the attention of teen readers and more. Mari's decision to protest is likely to inspire readers to speak up themselves for the injustices surrounding us in today's world.
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