"It's a cold, hard, cruel fact that my mother loved heroin more than she loved me."
Holly is in her fifth foster home in tw... read full description
Holly is in her fifth foster home in tw... read full description
reviews
Jan 28, 2012
Harold
rated it: 
Runaway is another book picked for me at random at the library by my daughter. More often than not, she comes up with good stuff. That's probably a testament as much to the librarians as it is to my daughter, but still...
Runaway is a sequel, of sorts, to another book that Van Draanen wrote (Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy), but in no way is it necessary to have read that first. In fact, I'd recommend against reading Sammy Keyes first, as knowing what happens in that book would b More...
Runaway is a sequel, of sorts, to another book that Van Draanen wrote (Sammy Keyes and the Sisters of Mercy), but in no way is it necessary to have read that first. In fact, I'd recommend against reading Sammy Keyes first, as knowing what happens in that book would b More...
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Apr 02, 2011
Marsha
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I picked this novel up at Border Books recent liquidation sale in South Austin. Although this is a young adult novel, the story line looked interesting. I did find it intriguing. In the beginning of the story, 12-year-old Holly is living unhappily with a foster family. They treat her badly and she escapes. As Holly manages to survive on her own, we learn more about her as she writes honestly in her journal about her mother's drug addiction. For some time, they were moving around to differen
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Jan 28, 2011
Joe Bricker
Romaniuk/Moyer
Reading/L.A. Book Review 8
28 January 2011
Runaway:
Follow The Yellow Brick Road
“It’s never too late- in fiction or in life- to revise.” This quote from Nancy Thayer describes this book. In Runaway, by Wendelin Van Draanen, Holley Janquel is a runaway. A minor who has left the care of an adult. In the beginning of this realistic fiction book, Holly receives a journal from her teacher, Ms. Leone, who instructs her to write down her fe More...
Romaniuk/Moyer
Reading/L.A. Book Review 8
28 January 2011
Runaway:
Follow The Yellow Brick Road
“It’s never too late- in fiction or in life- to revise.” This quote from Nancy Thayer describes this book. In Runaway, by Wendelin Van Draanen, Holley Janquel is a runaway. A minor who has left the care of an adult. In the beginning of this realistic fiction book, Holly receives a journal from her teacher, Ms. Leone, who instructs her to write down her fe More...
Nov 15, 2010
Chelsea
rated it:
Can you imagine being alone and homeless at age 12 or 13? Well that is exactly what my book “Runaway” by Wendilin Van Draanen is about. I personally liked the book. It held my attention very well.
In the story there is a teenage girl named Holly. She is alone in a big world, but it didn’t start out that way. When she was little Holly lived happily with her mother and her father. When her father died in a tragic accident, it was just her and her mother. That’s when things started going dow More...
In the story there is a teenage girl named Holly. She is alone in a big world, but it didn’t start out that way. When she was little Holly lived happily with her mother and her father. When her father died in a tragic accident, it was just her and her mother. That’s when things started going dow More...
Sep 04, 2010
Kerry
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Oct 21, 2011
Julie
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I forced myself to read this because my 12 year old read it and liked it. It's about a kid her age who lost both parents, endured the foster care system without quite healing the wound of losing her parents and then being in some abusive foster situations... so she runs away. The book is a diary of her days on the road. I gave it 4 stars not because I liked it 4-stars-worth but because my daughter liked it that much, and she's the "real" audience for the book. The author did capture
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Jun 03, 2009
Mr. Z
rated it: 
Holly is a bitter and abused teenager on the run from a life lacking loving parents and full of neglect. Her mother was an unfortunate victim of drugs, but even more unfortunate has been the ill effects her mother's absence has created in Holly's life.
I'm sure there are many teenagers out there who feel like running away. Do you really want to know what it's like? If so, you can follow Holly's story. I think you'll find that no matter how bad you think you have it at home, it could b More...
I'm sure there are many teenagers out there who feel like running away. Do you really want to know what it's like? If so, you can follow Holly's story. I think you'll find that no matter how bad you think you have it at home, it could b More...
Aug 27, 2011
Sara
rated it: 
Not awful writing, this is a journal format book about a twelve year old girl who runs away from a horrible foster care situation. Probably accurate about some aspects of street life, it is both naive and evasive about others. Not a whole lot happens, the character is sort of one of those "generic character" types - no quirks, she exists entirely for the plot, and the end is what really irked me, giving a happy ending of a runaway pre-teen magically and randomly finding two nice ladies
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Jun 20, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
This was the first Sunshine State Young Readers book I read last year, and one of my definite favourites. My mom doubted this book, considering how shocked she was seeing how real it was. However, I am a huge fan of books like this, where teens confront problems that most people don't have to face until adulthood. It's my kind of book.
In Runaway, the main character Holly is planning to runaway from her abusive step-parents. After days of planning and preparing she sets out to find a wo More...
In Runaway, the main character Holly is planning to runaway from her abusive step-parents. After days of planning and preparing she sets out to find a wo More...
Oct 16, 2011
Shawna
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This book is written in the format of a journal; a journal that belongs to a 12-13 year old runaway named Holly whose mother died of drug overdose and moves from foster home to foster home. These particular foster parents abuse her and lock her in the laundry room. When she’s had enough, she decides to run away. Holly’s journal entries are about how and what she does to survive being homeless or as she likes to prefer: being a gypsy.
I think this book tells us to be grateful for the little More...
I think this book tells us to be grateful for the little More...
Nov 16, 2010
Ashley
rated it:
The book "Runaway" by Wendelin Van Draanen is written in the format of journal entries. These entries are written by an orphan, Holly. Her foster parents abuses her by locking her in the laundry room for days and sticking her head in the toilet when she tries to defend herself. When Holly can no longer take the abuse, she runs away. Throughout this book, Holly writes about how and what she does to survive being homeless or what she calls "being a gypsy".
This book was gre More...
This book was gre More...
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Aug 12, 2010
Carson
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I was wondering whether I should give this book 3 or 4 stars. I thought four stars was good because it had great voice, good character, the plot was good, staying intrested was okay, and overall was great. I didn't realize untill the end that this book is sort of like a sequel to Sisters of Mercy. So maybe I should read that. I hope it will be worth it though. I found it intresting that the author experienced some things to make this book be more realistic. Example: She went camping witho
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Sep 22, 2010
ayyitskianaa
rated it:
Runaway, by Wendelin Van Draanen, is an amazing book. It was was a girl who had foster parents that treated her like a dog. So eventually, she ran away. I mean i wouldn't blame her because her "parents" dont treat her like how a regular child is supposed to be treated.
She ended up running away to California. The problems in the book sound so impossible but i mean, it's just a book. She had much obstacles to go through because, you know, she went to California from across th More...
She ended up running away to California. The problems in the book sound so impossible but i mean, it's just a book. She had much obstacles to go through because, you know, she went to California from across th More...
Dec 10, 2009
I have been a busy, busy bee! No time for journaling, I've been building a house! I'm not kidding! I am so excited I can hardly stand it!
This book was very well written and written in JOURNAL format. Excerpt:
I can't keep living like this. I can't even talk about it. This is no city of angels. Steel screeches on....The truck reaches on....The night spins grey and light burns my eyes as...Night reaches on....endlessly on.....
Holly's a run away...She was locke More...
This book was very well written and written in JOURNAL format. Excerpt:
I can't keep living like this. I can't even talk about it. This is no city of angels. Steel screeches on....The truck reaches on....The night spins grey and light burns my eyes as...Night reaches on....endlessly on.....
Holly's a run away...She was locke More...
May 23, 2009
Lisa
rated it:
I've had this book for over a year and never read it because I don't like the cover (Hey, Publisher! Got that? Your cover sucks. It makes people not want to read the book).
But it's an excellent book! I am going to use it to hook my seventh grade girls next year!
Van Draanen weaves poetry into the journal entries and really makes you hurt for Holly. I had to put the book down once to answer the phone, I was convinced that something horrible was going to happen to Holly w More...
But it's an excellent book! I am going to use it to hook my seventh grade girls next year!
Van Draanen weaves poetry into the journal entries and really makes you hurt for Holly. I had to put the book down once to answer the phone, I was convinced that something horrible was going to happen to Holly w More...
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Apr 22, 2009
MEREDITH :)
rated it:
Runaway By: Wenddelin Van Draanen.
This story is about a foster girl, she lives with her foster parents who make her sleep in the laundry room when shes a "bad girl"
After her foster dad shoves her head in the toilet and flushes several times, shes had enough.
She runaway.
Read this book to find out the type of horror and fear she faces.
All she wants is a good family and house to love and live in.
Is that too much to ask?
I guess it is when your mot More...
This story is about a foster girl, she lives with her foster parents who make her sleep in the laundry room when shes a "bad girl"
After her foster dad shoves her head in the toilet and flushes several times, shes had enough.
She runaway.
Read this book to find out the type of horror and fear she faces.
All she wants is a good family and house to love and live in.
Is that too much to ask?
I guess it is when your mot More...
Nov 04, 2009
Levina
rated it:
A real eye-opener for anyone thinking of running away from home.
Written in journal format by a orphaned girl named Holly, who keeps it as she's on the run from her abusive foster parents. She documents her daily struggle to stay safe from predators, find food, water, etc.
It would be a bit of a adventure story...if it wasn't so relentlessly realistic, and if there weren't tons of people like Holly in real life. And unlike in this book, most homeless people do not get a ha More...
Written in journal format by a orphaned girl named Holly, who keeps it as she's on the run from her abusive foster parents. She documents her daily struggle to stay safe from predators, find food, water, etc.
It would be a bit of a adventure story...if it wasn't so relentlessly realistic, and if there weren't tons of people like Holly in real life. And unlike in this book, most homeless people do not get a ha More...
Jul 28, 2011
Stephanie
rated it:
Sad book about a teenager on the run from her terrible foster home life. The book covers her trials and tribulations while on the run. Very emotional, but I couldn't put it down.
Holly's run away before, but this time she actually gets away—and what feels like an escape at first soon becomes a daily struggle for survival. She is smart and resourceful, and she manages to make it all the way across the country on her own. But how long can this go on? It's getting harder and harder to av More...
Holly's run away before, but this time she actually gets away—and what feels like an escape at first soon becomes a daily struggle for survival. She is smart and resourceful, and she manages to make it all the way across the country on her own. But how long can this go on? It's getting harder and harder to av More...
Mar 09, 2010
Jadmary713
rated it:
I loved the book Runaway. It was such a good book. I loved it because it tells a story that shows what the real world is like and how someone that is 12 or 13 had to go through an experience of a lifetime just to survive.
I can make a connection with Holly because sometimes you are just so mad or even just so sick of something you might just feel like runing away just to get a break from it all, even though you know that it will always come back and bite you. My favorite part was when More...
I can make a connection with Holly because sometimes you are just so mad or even just so sick of something you might just feel like runing away just to get a break from it all, even though you know that it will always come back and bite you. My favorite part was when More...
Apr 25, 2011
Dan
rated it:
When I was a kid thoughts of running away came across my mind and there are many teenagers out there who feel like running away also. This book made me think that no matter how bad you think you have it at home, it could be worseThis book is about Holly a twelve year old girl. She is alone in a big world, but it didn’t start out that way. When she was little Holly lived happily with her mother and her father. When her father died in a tragic accident, it was just her and her mother. That’s when
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Aug 12, 2011
Sydney
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jun 20, 2010
Ayla
rated it:
Runaway is about a girl who has been bounced from foster home to foster home, never ending up with the right "parents". She's run away before, but this time she knows she won't get caught.
Runaway is the journal of a girl who runs off in search of not only a home, but in search of herself. She is skilled at theft, and has the street smarts to live on her own for a while. But can she keep doing this forever? It's a hard question to answer, and you'll be shocked with every twist and More...
Runaway is the journal of a girl who runs off in search of not only a home, but in search of herself. She is skilled at theft, and has the street smarts to live on her own for a while. But can she keep doing this forever? It's a hard question to answer, and you'll be shocked with every twist and More...
Jul 13, 2010
Rebecca
rated it:
Holly has had nothing but bad experiences in foster homes. Her mother and father are both dead, and she is left alone in terrible situations where no one seems to be helping. Taking a suggestion from her English teacher, Holly begins writing in a journal. She decides to run away from her current foster family, and her journal soon becomes her prized possession. In her journal, Holly discovers things about herself and starts to deal with the turmoil she has experienced in her young life. The
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Jan 29, 2011
Sherry
rated it:
Good read. It kept you turning the pages and hoping on each new page she found a new family. You kind of half excepted Mrs. LEONE to come to she resuce or that she would give in and call her and ask her to help her. But it was so cool how SAmmy was the one that came to her rescuse and hooked her with her new family.
It is so ture how one wants to write in a journal or diary, but feels so out of place doing it at first, when they let their gaurd down and put a name to who they are w More...
It is so ture how one wants to write in a journal or diary, but feels so out of place doing it at first, when they let their gaurd down and put a name to who they are w More...
Jan 19, 2009
I really liked this book beacuse the reader was able to get into the mind of character. The author does this well by using 1st person narrative. I also like that the book was written in diary from because it made me fee closer to the character. I found it interestng how the chracter refered to herself as a sea gypse(sp?) instead of a homeless girl. In the book the character also says how much he hates doing certain things when she really likes them such as writing poetry. The character also seem
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Jun 26, 2011
Sidney
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This book had me hooked after the third page. I became Holly as I was reading this, her home life was hazardous. I wanted to jump into the book and pull her out. She's so young in such a big world on her own, but she makes it. She makes it all the way to the other side of the country. Shes strong and will powered and I found myself not being able to put the book down because I just had to know what happened at the end. The ending to this book was magical, I found myself so emotional after I fini
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Feb 14, 2010
Tofu1030
rated it:
I've read this book 1 and a half times and it is excellent. It's about an orphan who runs away from her abusive foster parents. She knows all these survival things because she tried to run away from her previous foster family but she got caught. But she learned from her mistakes. The entire book is formatted like a diary given by her teacher and she speaks as if her teacher is listening the entire time. This book is excellent and the author Wendelin Van Draanen should be credited for it. Another
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Sep 06, 2010
Erika.
rated it:
I learned running away is not the answer because it takes alot of hard work to take care of yourself without any guidence from your parents .I also learned that when you live on your own its hard to survive without food and shelter.Also I noticed that kids that run away are smart butt get in and out of trouble.Running away is a result of emotional stresss and if you dont take good care of yourself you may end up injured or dead.Finally i learned that kids that run away are usually stubborn and
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Nov 02, 2010
Jessica
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The main reason why i chose this book is becuase it is in a journaling formal i feel reading book in this kind of format are really really intresting. this book was amazing and really gave me a differnt view on homeless people becuase i never had mercey for them i just felt that there were all drunks and drug addicts and this book really changed my thinking for the good. the main character is a bitter teenager but theres a reason for that she has been in and out of abusive homes shes practicly b
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Nov 06, 2008
™Angieee;(:
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This story is VERY good so far! It talks about a girl who's mother has passed away and has to go to foster care. Even though she hates it..she has to live with it. She runs away because she doesn't like her life her foster parents.[She has problems] Later you will realize where she goes and why. oh and by the way...the story is written as her journal.
She is now in Califronia and she's trying to survive her life. She calls herself a "gypsy" and is going around, tryi More...
She is now in Califronia and she's trying to survive her life. She calls herself a "gypsy" and is going around, tryi More...
