On the Run

by Tristan Bancks

When a twelve-year-old boy's parents discover millions of dollars deposited into their bank account, they take him and his sister on the lam in this fast-paced middle-grade adventure.

Ben has always wanted to be a cop, so he's intrigued when police officers show up at the door, asking for his parents. Then his parents arrive after the police leave and rush him and his sister into the car, insisting they are going on a vacation. Ben's a little skeptical—his family doesn't go on vacations. After they lose the police in a high-speed car chase and end up in a remote cabin deep in the woods, Ben discovers his parents' secret: millions of dollars were deposited into their bank account by accident, and they took the money and ran off. Ben isn't sure what to think. Are his parents criminals? And because he ran off with them, is he a criminal, too?

Genres: Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Survival, Thriller, Young Adult, Chapter Books

227 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 2015

About the author

Tristan Bancks tells stories for the page and screen. His books for kids and teens include Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, the Tom Weekly series, and Nit Boy. Ginger Meggs, Tristan’s 100th anniversary book of short stories, is based on characters created by his great-great uncle, Jimmy Bancks, in 1921. His books have won and been shortlisted for many awards, including a Children’s Book Council of Australia Honour Book, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, ABIA, YABBA, KOALA, NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and Queensland Literary Awards. His latest release is Cop & Robber, a nailbiting crime story for age 10+.

Tristan is a writer-ambassador for literacy non-profit Room to Read. He is currently working with producers to develop a number of his books for the screen. He’s excited by the future of storytelling and inspiring others to create. You can find out more about Tristan’s books, play games, watch videos, join his Young Writer’s StorySchool and help him try to change the world at tristanbancks.com

Reviews

[Hillari Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm torn - this is between 1.5 and 2 Stars

So this was chosen as a fifth period class read aloud. There weren't really moments where I felt this book was good, but I will say that what started off with a feeling of promise, began to drag as the book went on.

This is a story about Ben and his sister Olive, and the crazy upheaval that they encounter when their parents go awry.

I think one of my students said it best when she wrote in her review: this book wanted to tackle a heavy issue but it didn't work because it was written much too immaturely, (or something of the like). I absolutely agree. This was obviously a young, middle level book, but it breezed over and hinted at slight mental and physical abuse, abandonment, and high-stakes theft. Not exactly topics that I think of when I envision 5th grade readers choosing books in areas of interest and appropriateness. Those themes would become more appropriate when you get up to 7th (maybe) and 8th grade, but this text wouldn't even support the majority of readers at those levels, because it would be much too simplistic in explanation and writing style.

Was the storyline bad? Not necessarily. But the way that it was delivered, didn't make for a super engaging book. Instead, my brain spent most of its time trying to wrap itself around why I wasn't horrified at what I was reading, and trying to justify why, even though the events were indeed horrifying (I mean come on - a 6/7 year old, stranded in the woods, cold and starving!??!) I wasn't sobbing when I closed the pages. That's a lot of "why's" that felt uncomfortable to still have even after the book was over.

[Corey Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this booked, I thought it was very fun to read and had a lot of action and it is something that could've happened in real life making it feel more real which is something that I like about the realistic fiction genre. I thought it was a little weird that such young kids were involved in such a big case, like stealing 7.2 million dollars. I would suggest reading this book if you like action books and if your a big fan of realistic fiction. So far this is the best book I have read this year.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 Stars

I DID NOT LIKE THIS BOOK!! Well, let me start of saying that this was a read-aloud for my class. I do not like people reading to me. I literally zone out, and then I mentally yell at myself for zoning out. So yeah, I definitely think that influenced my opinion on this book. But from page one I had detested this book. I felt like it was very childish, but I understand that my teacher had limited choices, seeing as all my peers are at different levels and she needed to pick a book that catered to everyone. But I also thought that this book was trying to cover more mature subjects but while still being written immaturely. All in all, I do not recommend On The Run, and this book has honestly made me worried for all the read-alouds that are to come.

[Devon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was fun and adventurous, but an easy read. I feel like a read aloud should be challenging or informational. Yes, non fiction and historical fiction aren't my favorite genres. But, still. This book overall was for sure not my favorite book I have read. But the story behind it was decent.

[Tyler Hiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty good book I think ill buy it and read it again.

[Topo Biblio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful and exciting, two kids are dragged by their parents to seek refuge in a cabin in a remote and wild area. The son, Ben, discovers his father has brought with them a large stash of money and when the police catch up with the parents, Ben and his sister choose to run and hide. A fast-paced read with heart-stopping action this is a really enjoyable novel with a satisfying conclusion. I loved the references to My Side of the Mountain and, having read this aloud to my 9 year old son, I will have to try the Jean Craighead George on him too.

[Max · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not really enjoy this book. At the end it felt like it had to be dragged. There like four moments where the book could have ended but the author decided to just keep going and it made for a bad ending. Also it was a very boring book. I did not even enjoy the action parts. So I did not enjoy this book very much.

[Preston M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was better than I thought it would be. Some of it was boring, some of it wasn't. I wasn't really loving this book. It was ok.

[Denise Spicer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Ben and his little sister, Olive, get caught up in a scary adventure when their dysfunctional parents take them along as they run from the cops. They hide out in an old cabin in the woods. Ben has never been interested in anything but movies and video games and making his own projects. When his parents leave Ben and Olive alone in the cabin, luckily he finds a battered copy of the book My Side Of The Mountain and it helps him learn about some basic survival skills. There’s lots of action in this book, both running from the cops and on their raft in the river. Ben also has to struggle with what do with the knowledge that both his dad and his grandfather were crooks. Will he be just like them? A somewhat confusing ending detracts from this book.

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Huge thank you to Raincoast Books for this ARC!

Considering I decided to read this during the month of October, I was hoping for a much more spooky middle grade experience. On the Run in a lot of ways was not what I was expecting, as no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't suspense my disbelief enough.

Or rather, at all.

Part of the issue for me is that Ben reads so much younger than he is, yet will do things that you question how old he really is. The writing fell super flat for me, so in suspenseful moments, I didn't find myself having the kind of emotional connection I think the author wanted me to have. I didn't like the characters, and the only character I did like (Olive) wasn't always handled very well in my opinion. A lot of the mannerism and behaviors from the characters felt so all over the place and as it went on, I started to care less and less.

If I'm being honest, I'm weirdly impressed but confused at the idea of Ben and Olive running off with over a million dollars and being able to hide it safely. I say this considering they are on their own for parts of the novel and any time they met someone I kept wondering why no one was really questioning them ON being alone. I recognize this book is supposed to have survivalist elements, but I couldn't suspend my disbelief to see how any of the situations Ben got himself into could really be plausible.

I adore middle grade, especially those with a tougher concept in mind, but this book didn't work for me at all. I just found myself bored by the writing and confused as to how a lot of the plot really occurred. That being said, I will still likely recommend it to middle graders at the library I work at because I do think they would enjoy the adventure aspects present in this story. For me personally, however, it just didn't work.

[Madison M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had a good story line basically a family on the run, parents did some bad things you know classic terrible parents. Really though this family is weird. I can't really say that much besides the fact that these parents do some questionable things. All I could think about while reading this book was "Wow that is some great parenting right there." With many of my classmates thinking the same thing. I liked it but it wasn't my favorite

[Tyler S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that the book was decent, but it seemed to slow to start off with. I would've much recommended something that was harder for a class read. I would've done this as a normal free read book. Overall the book seemed pretty interesting with a lot of action and description of whats going on. Its nice when you can put the story in your mind. I would recommend this as a free read, but nothing else.

[Barbara Nava-Perez]

Are you a boy/girl with such a vivid imagination? Well this boy called Ben silver has such a vivid imagination that likes to create stop-motion movies and would like to be a detective when he grows up. He's life is boring and uninteresting.

One day the cops show up at Ben's house door and all of a sudden his parents decide to go on vacation, but Ben isn't dumb and starts thinking why they are going on vacation now if they never go out for a family vacation and it's quite obvious that they are in a hurry. But why? At this moment, Ben doesn't know what to think about his parents any more. Ben kept on asking himself what was right and what was wrong. The conflict of the story was person .Vs. himself because Ben kept on asking himself what was right and what was wrong. The main theme of the story was to find your own identity.

The title of the book relates to the book because the title say's "On the Run" and the main story talks about how they are going to run away from the cops.

I was mad when the parents decided to drag the children into there problems and makes Ben be confused on what's wrong and what's right. In the story it said that "Oh I wonder why dad isn't stopping for them." when his dad doesn't pull over for the police.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 because most of the parts the story are really good but 1 or 2 parts were kind of bad. I would recommend this book to someone that like's fiction and drama books. Sometimes you don't know who can and cannot trust.

[Yajaira Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have wonder you ever wonder if your parent has done a crime in their life?They might or might not be lying to you. This boy called Ben Silver has to pick either to be a running fugitive like his parent or run away from them. This book is called On The Run the genre is fiction and drama. *** Spoiler Alert*** They are forced to split up.

One day the parent of Ben had decided to go to a surprise vacation. But their parent were in a rush as soon Bill and his sister had get in the car. Ben had many question about the vacation because he knew that they never went on a vacation before so why now. But his parent did not answer any of his question. Ben father had snapped because he was asking to many question. But Ben didn't stop ask question. The conflict of the story is person vs himself because Ben has trouble why does his parent had decided to go to a vacation all off the sudden. The theme of the story is Identity Crisis because in the story Ben found out that his Parent are criminals and that why they are in vacation.

The title is relate to the story because Ben and his family are running away from the from the cops because his parent are fugitive of the law. And also that Ben has to decide either be a fugitive with his parent or run way from them.

I'm angry at the parent because why would they make their children be fugitive with them. I rather be in jail because I would know that my children will be more safer with someone then with me. The reason because I'm just putting there life more at risk with me. And they have family member that they can take care of them. It said that Ben father has a Nanny that he/she can take care them while they find some else can take them in.

The reason why I give the book 4 out 5 because their were a lot of really good parts but their one or two bad parts. The part that the family had to split up.I recommend to all the school. So they can tell their parents if they ever did a crime before it late to ask . Before they become fugitive like their parents. Finally they have to run away from the cops.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Ben tells the story of the time his parents packed him and his sister into an old car and took off for an isolated cabin in the woods. They say that the family is going on vacation but this doesn't seem like it is much fun. Their dad and mom argue at night when the kids are trying to sleep in the derelict cabin.

Ben is a kid who spends most of his time playing video games and making stop-motion movies. He tells stories about zombies and his police detective alter ego Ben Silver. Ben listens to his parents and starts gathering clues. He starts to think that his parents have done something bad and are running from the police. When the police surround the cabin, Ben and his little sister Olive take off into the woods with a bag of money, almost a million dollars. They spend a couple of scary days in the wilderness without food or water before they find their way back to the cabin. From there they hitchhike and take buses back to their grandmother's house.

Along the way, Ben spends a lot of time deciding if he is doing the right thing. He's torn between loyalty to his parents and his respect for the law. The experience changes Ben and his family.

Fans of adventure stories will be interested in Ben's journey. I enjoyed that the kids found and read a battered copy of MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN by Jean Craighead George and used the main character's journey as inspiration for their journey.

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ben is a slightly chubby boy who likes creating stop-motion movies, is afraid of just about everything, and has a vivid imagination. His life is dull but predictable. Then the cops show up at the door and suddenly his parents are piling him and his sister into the car to go on a "vacation." Ben's not an idiot. It's soon quite clear they're on the run, but why? His father is a bully and his mother is weak. Ben feels protective of his little sister, but what can a kid do? This Australian import explores right, wrong, and doing what is best for yourself and those you love. It also considers the idea of family history versus self-determination. There's adventure, survival, and growth. I got an advanced reader copy from the publisher. This is a thought-provoking story, but the reader sometimes is left wondering as many opportunities for better choices slip by. Sometimes you just want to shake the characters to make them see reason. I suppose that level of aggravation is an homage to the author who caused it.

[Judy Diedrichs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great adventure read for middle school boys. I read it in practically one sitting. Good story.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best book I have ever read. I didn't want to put it down. It was about a boy named Ben and he had to live life ON THE RUN !!!!!

[Stacy Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was read and reviewed by my co-worker, Nicole

Ben Silver is a 12 year old boy who dreams about being a cop. When the police show up on his doorstep searching for his parents- Ben doesn’t know what to think. Later, when his parents return from work and whisk the children away for a family “vacation” Ben is skeptical- this skepticism grows as their vacation takes one strange turn after another. As the story unfolds we learn the bank accidentally deposited a LOT of money into his parents bank account, and his parents (mainly father) want to keep it for themselves.

Most of the book is about the Silver family being on the run, and Ben’s confusion about what is going on. While the synopsis describes a lot about survival, in reality it was a very small portion of the book-not even a quarter of it. A lot of the book has Ben questioning what is right and wrong, and if he is part of his father’s crime does that make him right or wrong.

I was hoping for more than what the book gave me, but overall the story wasn’t too bad. I think readers around the age of 12 may enjoy it, but I am not sure how to recommend it. Unlike other survival stories- Ben doesn’t seem to live off the land- instead he continually gets lucky.

[Gina Schaarschmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yikes. This one was harrowing! Ben and his sister are whisked away by their parents one day, to supposedly go on an impromptu "vacation." Things are cagey from the get-go, however. The police had come looking for Ben's parents right before the surprise trip, the family stops at an uncle's house to swap cars, and they cut their hair in an motel room on the way. On the way to... a creepy cabin in the middle of nowhere. Oddly, though, they seem to have plenty of money to buy food and new clothing for the family. But, why the creepy cabin? What are they hiding from?

Ben fancies himself a bit of a detective and has always asked a lot of questions. His dad sometimes teases him about his questions, but on this trip, his dad gets abusive in his non-responses. Ben is justifiably concerned about their plight, and especially concerned about his little sister.

I loved the references to My Side of the Mountain, and the suspense building. I also liked Ben's moral tug-of-war and the fact that the book didn't have a slam-dunk do-the-right-thing-and-everyone-lives-happily-ever-after ending. It will keep kids turning pages and, if they like the survival elements of the story, might hook them into reading My Side of the Mountain.

[Kathy Quimby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a good survival story? Swiss Family Robinson . . . Hatchet . . . Island of the Blue Dolphins. . . it’s a subject that captivates so many young readers, and I am always on the lookout for a good recommendation. This one is a survival story with a few twists. Ben loves making stop motion animation films about crime and detectives, but when the police show up at his door looking for his parents, things, as they say, get ‘real’! While they won’t tell him exactly what has happened, his parents inform Ben and his sister Olive that they are leaving right away for a ‘vacation’ in the Australian wilderness - complete with new haircuts and outfits. Ben knows something is off, but doesn’t realize how much courage it will take him to make it through this journey. He never anticipates the strength he’ll need to stand up to the father that has derided him for his whole life. I’d recommend this for middle grade students who like realistic fiction that is interspersed with survival action. Also, there’s a nod to My Side of the Mountain that fans of this genre will particularly appreciate. The moral questions of what it truly means to be brave and do the right thing that will arise for readers are a bonus!

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

On The Run is a book about a boy by the name of Ben that Runs from the cops. Ben is lazy and plays game and eats chips every day until the cops show up to the door. After talking to the cops they go on a vacation his dad says. When they get a new car and get their haircut theys start driving on a mission to get to their grandpa's cabin. They then get pulled over by the cops and speed away when the officer takes their license. The place where they live is similar to where I live with lots of woods and fields. Olive is Ben's sister who was kinda assy until they are locked in the cabin. Ben's mother is always nice and loves Ben. Ben's dad is very mean and makes fun of Ben When he makes a mistake. Ben Also had fallen in love with the book My Side of the Mountain
The book On the run is very slow moving and takes a while to get from time to time. Ben always will fight for stuff like when his dad stole his notebook he wouldn't give up and when he was making a raft he didn't give up. This book was kinda disappointing to me because I was expecting it to be more like surviving but it was more just running from the cops.
On the run is a great book but I would mainly recommend this to people who like running from the cops and like outdoors. I would say this book is for grades from 4 to 7.

Feb, amazon reviewer says, “Good discussion book for grades 5 to 7. Strong characters and good read.”
“It was better than I thought it would be. Some of it was boring, some of it wasn't. I wasn't really loving this book. It was ok.” Preston M. goodreads reviewer.

[Danielle is rad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot! I feel as though it wasn't a hard book to read (or hear if you will), but it was nice. I would read this kind of book when I needed to pass time, but I did like it. I feel as though Ben had to face many challenges for a kid his age, and I loved that (I know, I know). I loved Olive's role in this story even if it was small, she played the innocence role, and trusting her parents even when there's much to doubt. If this wasn't a read aloud, I would still read it, I did like it, although it would not have been my first choice for realistic fiction. But, non the less, I liked the book, not to much to love, but like! I thought the book kept my attention and I was surprised throughout the book often. I love the way it ended and I had a love for April (The mom). Anyways, I would recommend this!

[Snakestar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really more of a 3.5
This book was kinda boring for the first half and I was really bothered by how dumb I found the main character, Ben. I actually considered to DNF it after pausing on it to read two riveting five star books, even though this is a library book and I owned those two. The second half was way better, but still not really what I was looking for.
This is the story of Ben Silver, Sydney's toughest cop. Just kidding, that's what all of his stop motion movies are about, though that is his name. The book starts when he's in the middle of filming one of his movies and two cops knock at the door, asking for his parents. Little does he know that this will start his first and worst road trip ever.
I definitely don't regret reading this, but I can't say that I would recommend it to anyone.

[Libby Jacobs · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an exciting story, but it was really dark, with almost no redemption. I'm not sure if I would want my middle grade child reading it. The tone felt like Breaking Bad. This kind of story may be more appropriate for a teenage audience.

(Spoilers ahead!) Ben's parents are criminals and they take him and his little sister on the run with them. His father is abusive and his mother just goes along with it. Everything goes bad and the kids end up in the forest alone and in survival mode. The whole time Ben, is trying to decide what kind of person he wants to be. In the end he makes the right choice but it just seems too little too late.

@libbysbooks

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

*insert long disappointed sigh*
Okay so this is one of those REALLY weird reading experiences, let me explain why. It's bad but also it's good? I have never disliked a book this much but I was so invested in the plot and Ben's character. If it weren't for Ben's character development and a few well written scenes, I would've given this one star for the effort. But honestly, I'd read this again. It is worth reading, despite how bad it is.
I'm sorry, this review was all over the place, this has been an emotional roller coaster for me.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read in my 6th grade year. The author did an amazing job writing this book and kept the reader hanging. There was never a point in this book that I got bored with. This was a very fast moving book and the plot started at the beginning of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic fiction and or mystery. Even if you don't like these genres, I would still give this book a try for it is one of my favorite books.

[Clarice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before we even started the book, I thought that the story line was promising. It was a deep topic, but I thought that it was going to addressed appropriately. Basically, Ben's parents took him and his sister on a "vacation". Soon, Ben realizes that his parents ran away from the cops for something that they did. Ben decides to investigate and discovers the truth about what his parents did. As much as I thought it was going to good, the further we got into it, the book just got way worse. I wouldn't recommend this book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place in Australia, so there are a few new terms but once you get past that, it could easily have taken place in the U.S. This book had the adventure/survival elements that I enjoy in a fiction book. I felt the anger at the parents that Ben and Olive express as well. I really sympathized with them. The end seemed to tie up too nicely and ended a bit too abruptly for me. Over all, a good read.

[Zenzi Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book, not really the type of writing style that I like to read, but good. It had lots of suspense and good cliffhangers that I enjoy in books. At times it had me yelling in my head at Ben Silver and trying to tell him what to do.