Kicking Bird is the story of Martin "Bird" Johnson, a 17-year-old white trash high school kid who runs. With his mother in jail, his father gone, one brother in a work camp, and his bitter grandfather beating him, there is nothing else to do but run! One day the manipulative high school cross country coach sees Martin outrun his entire team, (they want to beat him up), and thinks that Martin is his ticket to a college coaching position.