"Raymond's Run" is a sensational story by Toni Cade Bambara featuring Hazel "Squeaky" Parker, a little African-American girl with skinny arms, a squeaky voice, and a passion to run. Known as Mercury by the big kids, Squeaky is the swiftest thing in the neighborhood. That is, except for her father, who can beat her to Amsterdam Avenue with Squeaky having a two-fire-hydrant head start and him running with his hands in his pockets and whistling.

Squeaky has a brother named Raymond who's infected with a disease called hydrocephalus. Raymond is actually bigger and older than Squeaky, but a lot of people call him Squeaky's little brother because he needs looking after. Squeaky often takes strolls down Broadway so she can practice her breathing exercises while having to keep an eye on Raymond the whole time. She makes Raymond walk on the inside because...