The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Newton, Robert. Runner. Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc. New York, NY. 2007. First American Edition. The story is told from the first-person perspective of protagonist Charlie Feehan, fighting to live up to the increased sense of responsibility to his family that he feels in the aftermath of his father’s death.

As the novel begins, Charlie, who is a self-trained athlete, says goodbye to his mother, who thinks he is going to school. Instead, he sets off for a meeting with Squizzy Taylor, an ambitious small-time criminal who needs someone to work as a “runner” in his operation, someone who does errands and makes deliveries. When Charlie arrives at Squizzy’s center of operations, he finds that he is expected to run a race with three other young men. The winner will get the job. Charlie feels both confident and anxious, particularly when faced with one of his competitors, the bullying Barlow. Nevertheless, Charlie manages to win the race and get the job. He also makes friends with one of the other competitors, a speedy boy with a large nose that Charlie immediately nicknames Nostrils.

Squizzy sends a note home with Charlie to inform his mother, Ma, about the new opportunity. Ma refuses to give her permission for Charlie to work for someone like Squizzy. Charlie, however, feels a powerful sense of responsibility to provide for his mother and baby brother in the aftermath of his father’s death. This leads him to go against Ma’s wishes and start his new job.

Charlie’s first few runs for Squizzy seem relatively easy, but eventually he is given more challenging assignments. On one of them, Squizzy says he will need a partner, and Charlie recruits Nostrils. Together, they complete the job, and Charlie moves to the next level of Squizzy’s approval. Meanwhile, Ma receives some unwelcome visits from a man who, at one point, beats her. Charlie chases him off, and Squizzy helps him keep the matter quiet. Ma, however, is traumatized, which leads Charlie to work even harder to make life at home better. Meanwhile, Nostrils experiences a degree of success with a local football (soccer) team, in spite of being bullied by Barlow, who plays for an opposing team. At one of Nostril’s games, Charlie finds himself attracted to a young woman named Alice.

As part of his work, Charlie starts collecting money owed to Squizzy by business owners and others. He is surprised to discover not only that Alice’s father is one of them, but that Alice has a difficult relationship with Barlow. When he finds out that Alice’s father cannot pay the money that he owes Squizzy, Charlie decides to do something good with his work income and pays his debt. Squizzy is unhappy, but keeps Charlie in his employ. Alice, however, is grateful.

Charlie becomes increasingly uneasy about the kinds of things Squizzy asks him to do, particularly since Squizzy is entering into conflict with a rival gang. He is also concerned because some of the work ends with Charlie and Nostrils getting attacked. Meanwhile, Charlie becomes increasingly interested in formally training to be a long-distance runner. Eventually, Charlie quits working for Squizzy and starts focusing entirely on running. The neighbor who is training Charlie, Mr. Redmond, enters him in an important race, which he trains hard for. On the day he is to run, Charlie asks Mr. Redmond to bet all the money he earned from Squizzy on him. When he wins, he finds he has won enough money to start his own business, which he sets up in partnership with Nostrils. At the novel’s conclusion Ma, Nostrils, Alice, Mr. Redmond, and other friends help Charlie celebrate the beginning of his new life.