Strider

Written by Beverly Cleary · Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Book #2 in the Leigh Botts series

A stray dog inspires a boy to run and find hope in unexpected places.

3.9 Goodreads · 3,025 ratings

176 pages· 21,456 words· Est. 3 hour read· 840L

$6.99Save 4%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Leigh Botts, grappling with his parents' divorce, discovers a new passion for running thanks to Strider, a stray dog with a love for speed. As Leigh joins the school track team, he begins to heal and opens up to new friendships, including a redheaded girl he's admired from afar. Strider's companionship not only transforms Leigh's athletic abilities but also his outlook on life, offering him a future filled with hope and possibilities. Can a dog truly change a life? For Leigh, Strider does just that, leading him toward a path he never imagined.

From the publisher

Strider has a new habit. Whenever we stop, he places his paw on my foot. It isn’t an accident because he always does it. I like to think he doesn’t want to leave me.

Can a stray dog change the life of a teenage boy? It looks as if Strider can. He’s a dog that loves to run; because of Strider, Leigh Botts finds himself running – well enough to join the school track team. Strider changes Leigh on the inside, too, as he finally begins to accept his parents’ divorce and gets to know a redheaded girl he’s been admiring. With Strider’s help, Leigh finds that the future he once hated to be asked about now holds something he never expected: hope.

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