Alta knows she's the quickest kid in Clarksville, TN—Wilma Rudolph's hometown—even though her shoes are a little beat up. But Charmaine, in her snazzy new sneaks, thinks she can best Alta in a foot race. Frank Morrison's illustrations are a treat: he portrays both runners as contagiously exuberant and physics-defying. Though egos and body parts bruise, the two girls ultimately team together to keep moving forward. Sometimes, life is easier as a relay.