[ Thank you so much again to Netgalley for giving me a copy a copy for an honest and unbiased review of this book !!]


Overall a fun and really enjoyable story! I will admit it was the gorgeous cover and its amazing colors that drew me into the story, but when I got into the meat of it all, I was really enjoying myself and found myself entranced. Some of the moments were surprisingly hard-hitting and undeniably heartfelt too.

What can I say, except I loved this? Seriously? I've procrastinated writing this review for AGES, just because I can't quite put my finger on why this book spoke to me so much. Maybe it was Kleckner's voicey, effortless writing. Maybe it was how brave and endearing Maisie was as a protagonist. Maybe it was the aching portrayal of siblinghood and family, or how this story managed to catch the difficult threshold space of growing up so, so perfectly.

Just ... read this book, okay?

THE ART OF RUNNING AWAY touches beautifully on so many themes, from identity to purpose to estrangement, and I loved every single character dearly. It's going to resonate so well with so many kids (and adults!) and I'm incredibly grateful for the chance to read. 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for an e-ARC of this middle grade novel. I really enjoyed this novel, and think it shows a lot about how to support LGBTQ+ kids and families, and demonstrates how complex a situation can be in a family. I think this is one that will be well received by middle school readers and up.

* I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *

These characters frustrated me at times and made me so proud at others. I really appreciate when middle grade books not only show some of the issues and larger problems that their reading age group could face, but break down the ideas behind those issues and demonstrate better ways to handle them. The plot is a little hard to quickly summarize, but essentially, Maisie is sent to Edinburgh to live with her aunt for the summer, but when her older brother Calum (who ran away from home six years ago) shows up and wants to get to know her better, she runs away with him to London and learns more about her family's past and makes decisions for her future. I was not a fan of the parents, although obviously their mistakes and shortcomings are part of the central conflict in the plot, so that makes sense. I got frustrated with Maisie at times, but she is a 12-year-old girl who is dealing with heavy issues for the first time, so she gets some grace, too.

For me, what stood out about this book were Calum and his roommates. All three of them work as mentors for Maisie in different ways and help her as she figures out that her parents aren't perfect people, but they're also not terrible and could potentially earn back her trust. Learning your parents are humans who make mistakes is a difficult lesson at any age, which is why I was especially impressed with how the author broke things down for Maisie and for the reader. I think this could be a good book for kids and families dealing with the fallout from homophobia, learning that not all homophobic behavior is necessarily open and obvious, and wondering how they can support those in their lives who might deal with issues similar to Calum and Maisie.

TW: homophobia

An engaging, well-paced, and often laugh-out-loud funny MG novel that focuses on themes of LGBTQIA2S+ experiences and generic coming of age themes. 12 year old Maisie is reunited with her brother, Calum, who "ran away" six years earlier when he was only sixteen years old when Maisie's parents send her to Scotland to visit family for the summer. Over the course of reestablishing her relationship with her big brother Maisie discovers that the story she was told about why Calum ran away isn't true and the truth behind his leaving impacts her relationships with both her parents and her sibling. The sibling relationship is sweet and funny, as is the relationship between Calum and his very entertaining flatmates. Some core elements of the story aren't quite believable, particularly related to the timeline of Maisie's childhood versus when Calum left and why unless upstate New York is way more conservative and provincial than I imagine it to be. Overall a delightful read!

This book was such an unexpected surprise. I really enjoyed its focus on a brother and sister relationship that I feel is not often utilized in middle grade and young adult literature. It also featured some really complex family dynamics that I thought were really interesting to read about and were handled very well for younger audience. And explored LGBT themes as well as acceptance as well as a feeling of home.

It was a really good book. I was not sure if I was honestly going to like this, because I do not usually read middle school genre books anymore. But I honestly enjoyed it. I enjoyed how we got to see Masie and Calum reunited after 6 years of not seeing each other (which as a sibling myself would be way to long). I like how Calum has a hard time opens up, but over the weeks that Masie is staying with him…he opens up. And that’s light to me eyes. I’m glad that I got to read and review this book. It was a pretty quick read and great book to read for anyone who is struggling with who they are or being judged for who they are.

I got a e-copy of this book for an honest review on netgalley!!

A sweet story of fractured relationships and semi-redemption from the point of a 12 year old made for a great quick reading experience that I really enjoyed.

5/5 stars for this lovely, fabulously written book with such a strong voice.

THE ART OF RUNNING AWAY by Sabrina Kleckner was beautifully written. The queer rep was wonderful, Maisie (the main character) had such a strong voice, the friendships were beautiful and realistic, and the message this book will send to young kids is SO incredibly important.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me an ARC to read. It was a treat.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy.

Sabrina Kleckner's debut uniquely hits a middle grade sweet spot between emotional resonance and immersive plotting. The Art of Running Away captures Maisie's journey through becoming a true ally, understanding her flawed family, and standing up for what she believes in, from her family business to her older brother who has set out on his own. Kleckner uses light humor to help ease into serious subjects, and she takes the reader on a fun tour of Edinburgh and London, as well. A cast of supporting characters feels real and fully developed, and I was truly charmed by this book.

Kecklner’s book is perfect for fans of quieter middle grade while still being engaging and humorous. This is a pitch-perfect story exploring family and friendship dynamics, and the pain and joy they can cause. Highly recommended.

I always like books that are told from a child’s perspective. It gives me deeper insight of how I discovered the world around me when I was young. This was a light, quick read but still had aspects that made you think.

Awkward sibling relationship, occasional nerd references, and some serious conversations on the damage done by well-meaning but harmful actions of others... Whelp, this book has it all. It got far more intense than I expected it to!
It sometimes gets a little heavy handed on the message of acceptance and coming to terms with the past and what it means to be an ally (saying this as a member of the queer community), but the heart is there and the message rings true. Sometimes... it just isn't about you. And even if you mean well, you can hurt the ones you love.
This book has quite a few storylines to be juggling for it's age group, but it does a fairly decent job keeping the reader caught up on the events in each one. And it stays fairly realistic in the outcome - not an "everything is magically better by technology!" but a "we'll manage, for now". Which does more justice for the storylines.

The Art of Running Away
by Sabrina Kleckner
Flux
Jolly Fish Press
Arts & Photography/Middle Grade
Pub Date 16 Nov 2021


Twelve year old Maisie is an artist. The world makes sense when she’s in front of her sketchbook or apprenticing at Glenna’s Portraits, the family-run art shop her grandmother started, the world makes sense. When she’s sketching she doesn’t think about Calum, her brother who mysteriously left home and cut ties with her family six years ago, or her parents’ insistence that she “broaden her horizons” and try something new—something that isn’t art.





After Glenna’s Portraits falls on hard times, Maisie’s plan to take over the shop when she’s older and become a lifelong artist starts to crumble. In a desperate attempt to make things right Maisie runs away to London to reconnect with her adult brother, hoping he might be the key to saving the shop. But as Maisie learns about her family’s past from Calum, she starts to rethink everything she’s ever known. Maisie must decide not only if saving her family’s art shop is worth it, but if she can forgive her parents for the mistakes they've made.


I give The Art of Running Away four out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

A deep story with many openings for rich discussions, The Art of Running Away features a girl forced to face what she has been told, and examine them for herself. It’s easy to pass judgment, but she has to evaluate situations... which side is she on? What will she do? How will she face ...?

(Also posted on Goodreads!)

What a lovely read! Fairly light, but it was still a thoughtful exploration of a child's realization that her parents are flawed, and her worldview has been, too. Maisie discovers more about herself, her family and friendships and art!

The best part of the book for me was easily Calum and Maisie's relationship with each other. They stumble around each other, but they care and show it however they can, sometimes stumbling more over that than their anger or issues. I found the conversation about allyship clunky, but I really enjoyed the other ways the book approached Callum's issues with his parents; it held understanding for the parents' viewpoints (or at least where they were coming from), but the narrative itself gave Calum room to be hurt and angry, never demanding forgiveness from him.

I loved the art descriptions as well! Enough detail to conjure an image, but not too much description, so I could fill in the blanks myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

Maisie realizes that there is a lot more to her family than she had been told, and a summer away reveals truths about her parents and her absentee brother. The Art of Running Away is a a book aimed at middle school readers, but its themes of family and identity ring out loudly for older readers as well. Through the eyes of twelve year old Maisie, we experience myriad emotions as she reconnects with her brother, meets an aunt for the first time and uncovers a family secret, all against the backdrop of artwork. This book is all about finding yourself in the mess, and when you think about it, isn't that what middle school is all about? A five star read that I will be recommending to my students.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Art of Running Away is scheduled to be published on November 16, 2021. #TheArtofRunningAway #NetGalley

The Art of Running Away is a MG novel that follows our 12-year-old narrator Maisie as she reunites with her adult brother after 6 years.

The book deals with heavy topics such as homophobia using more accessible language for children to understand and it also talks about being an ally and how one can support members of the LGBTQ community.

Honestly, this is such a comforting read and I finished it in under an hour. I don't know whether this applies to all children's books but I could feel the characters' emotions rolling off the page (I still remember bawling my eyes out to the Girl and the Ghost Machine). This book was so immersive and I absolutely loved it.

The Art of Running Away comes out on the 16th of November this year!!

Thank you, NetGalley and Sabrina Kleckner for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

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Thank you netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a review.

This is a very good story about family, about being a good ally and a good friend, about growing up.

It's a great book for kids and teens, but honestly adults can enjoy it too. I couldn't put it down!

I also relate a lot to Mrs and Mrs Matthews who order a painting of their cat

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

We need more lgbtq and middle grade and high school level this one didn't disappoint with this uniqueness. Between her and her brother and her family was so important.