Racing the Sun by Paul Pitts

In Racing the Sun by Paul Pitts, 12 year old Brandon Rogers finds himself making adjustments in his life when his ailing grandfather moves off the Navajo reservation, and into the lower bunk of Brandon's room. Before now, Brandon hasn't had the chance to learn much about the culture and ways of his ancestors, having grown up on the Wasatch front, but now with his very traditional grandfather teaching him the language and culture of his people, something he hasn't had a chance to learn about very much before now, (including the tradition to wake before dawn and go running) he's learning more than he ever thought he would about the ways of his people, and learning to be proud of who he is and

Racing the Sun (c) 1988 by Paul Pitts

where he came from. Most especially, he's learning that his grandfather loves him, and that he loves his grandfather back.