Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen


This is the journal of a 12 year old girl, named Holly, who has no parents and has run away from an abusing foster family.  Her English teacher has given her a journal to help her to write down her feelings.  She takes the journal with her and writes in it about the problems she faces as she runs.  She makes it to California, but finds it very hard to live on the streets without food, clothing, a home, family, or friends.  She finally is befriended by another young girl who is living with her grandmother and has similar experiences.  They find a loving family for Holly and she is hopeful for a new future with Vera and Meg.  She discovers that Meg has also used journaling as a way to survive hard times.  They share their journals and Holly realizes that the journal has allowed her to turn the next page.
Possible read-aloud sections - Beginning and ending
p. 11 - May 22nd nighttime - books
p. 136 - 4:30 pm - how they became homeless
p 164-166 - I have no idea what day it is + 7 pm
p. 216 - last 2 paragraphs about family
p. 244-245 - how the journal helped her

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