Jordan and Max, Race Day

Jordan and Max, Race Day is the third book from Suzanne Sutherland featuring Jordan and Max and follows Jordan and Max, Showtime (www.cmreviews.ca/node/2403) and Jordan and Max, Field Trip (www.cmreviews.ca/node/2987).

Jordan lives with his unconventional grandmother, Beverly, and has blossomed under her care. He likes to delve into her closet full of costumes and wigs that she has from her days of throwing warehouse parties. Jordan and Beverly go jogging together. When Jordan and his friend Max learn about the upcoming obstacle race, Max volunteers to be his coach.

Their main rival is Ivan, a new boy, from a different country, who sticks to himself. Max and Jordan think he is trying to intimidate them because of his stony expression.

Max proves to be an enthusiastic coach, urging Jordan to train by performing various athletic feats and eating nutritious food.

The day of the race stated out with pouring rain which left the course muddy and wet. Max arranged for communication between him and Jordan via earpieces, and Max whispered encouragement to Jordan while he ran along the muddy paths. The first obstacle Jordan faced was a tree with flags set high up in the branches. Each flag had a participant’s name on it. Jordan noticed Adriana, who had beaten him to the tree, was crying because she was afraid to climb the tree. While Adriana boosted Jordan up, he got the flags for himself and Adriana. Looking back, Jordan noticed other runners were doing the same thing to get their flags.

The next obstacle was a high set of monkey bars. Jordan had no problem with that, but, when he approached the next obstacle, a ramp to climb up, he had trouble. The ramp was slick with mud, and Jordan couldn’t get any traction. Luckily for him, a boy name Rick and some of his friends helped Jordan up the ramp. It turned out that Rick was Adriana’s brother and was thankful for Jordan’s helping Adriana.

The last obstacle to clear was a set of ropes hanging over a mud pit. Ivan, Jordan’s rival, was stuck, hanging on to a rope with no momentum to get going. Jordan decided to help him. He ran as fast as he could, grabbed a rope and pushed Ivan and himself onto the platform. They ran together across the finish line.

Beverly and Max were at the finish line to greet Jordan. After some refreshments, Jordan and Ivan were surprised to learn that Adriana was the winner, but Jordan felt great. He had made a new friend.

Jordan is learning that he can be himself without being judged by his appearance, especially because he likes to wear some of Beverly’s flamboyant costumes and keep his hair long. People respond to his kind nature and reciprocate his generosity. The boys learned that they had judged Ivan by his looks too. Ivan was not standoffish, just shy, and he responded to their kindness by inviting them to play.

Children will enjoy reading Jordan and Max, Race Day and understand the message that you need to look beyond the outside to see the real person underneath.