There are at least two issues in The Runner that might cause concern among teachers and parents. One is the use of racially charged language, often employed by Bullet before he overcomes his prejudices. The remarks always appear in the context of the story, and Voigt uses them to explore Bullet's feelings before he learns that Patrice is partially black. The language serves to heighten the significance of Bullet's metamorphosis when he makes an honest effort to overcome his unfair judgements. However, some may find such remarks objectionable in any context, for example, "You should come to school and see what they're [blacks] really like" or "This nigger is trouble, capital T, trouble."

The second issue with which adults may be concerned is the appropriateness of the language in general. In her dialogue Voigt attempts to present an accurate picture of the language used by high...