I was obsessed with this book as a fourth-grader; I kept renewing it from my elementary school library, re-reading it and copying out passages into a private notebook. In part my fascination was fed because I believed that it was an actual "diary" by an actual "runaway", which helped me feel close to the protagonist. Re-read as an adult, it's a weird book, and I was a little surprised to see all the Zen references and themes of searching, but I definitely enjoyed it, and it helped me feel closer More...

My older brother ran away from home several times and I often had a bag packed myself as a young boy. This book was initially read more for information than for entertainment, but I re-read it several times along with "My Side of the Mountan" by Jean George and "Runaways" by Victor Canning. Kids need to escape into fantasy stories like these in order to cope with the emotional ups and downs of the teenage years. I think this was a pretty honest portrayal of a runaway. I still pick it up now and More...

I also read this as a teen and remember much of this book. Wish they would release again as well... Great escape book.