Thank you so much to Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the earc to read and review.

Maisie is sent away to Edinburgh for the summer out of her will as her parent portrait shop loses funding. Her brother who ran away six years ago shows up wanting to get to know her, convincing her to go with him to London. Soon she finds herself in a wash of emotions, a plan to solve what really happened with her brother and desperation to save her parents portrait store.

This story is written with so much care and dedication it seeps through each page. It’s such an inclusive book, it is precious and pure. It has an amazing focus in LGBT+ teens. I love that it has good messages about dealing with who you are, with how people treat you and how to overcome that, with how to be an ally and be there for someone that needs you. It’s something so rare to find in a Middle Grade book, but so vital and important. I’m glad this book exists.

It was such an interesting story and I loved that as the story went on it grew as Maisie grew, she was a stubborn little girl that didn’t want to try anything new, who grew up on her U.K. adventure. She took strides in learning who she was, in leaning the truth about her family and her brothers situation. She grew in maturity and in self belief and grew in her own personal talent and determination. She was an incredible protagonist and I glad we went on the life adventure with her.

This story is a really great read, it sinks you in giving you lots of room for ideas of what may have really happened, what is going to happen and then it not always being as you’d suspect it to have been. It was written really well, it’s engrossing and it’s heartfelt. The relationships all feel so strong and so real that you kind of just want to help them out, the characters are real, flawed and imperfectly perfect. I really loved this book and I’m sure you will too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I absolutely love this book. It is a new favorite of mine and every time I think about it I get warm and fuzzy. I laughed, I cried, I playfully rolled my eyes and I just fell head over heels in love with the story and it's characters.

The Art of Running Away is an amazing story about discovering who you are and realizing that a single one thing doesn't define you. Even if it is your biggest passion, it's still just a part of who you are. There are so many sweet lessons in here. Normally I would call it overkill but man it just worked. There are so many important parts in here including an amazing conversation on what it means to be an ally. It's a small book with a lot of big moments.

Maisie is wonderful as a main character. She is so well written. You can feel her different emotions throughout the book. Her passion for her art can be felt throughout the entire story. Sabrina Kleckner did a phenomenal job of breathing life into Maisie and making her multi dimensional. She really took her characters and her story and breathed life into every page.

One of my favorite things about this book is the relationship between Maisie and Calum. It's my favorite sibling relationship that I've ever read about. The way their relationship heals and grows is simply perfection. It's absolutely beautiful.

Have I mentioned yet that I love this book? The writing is engaging and beautiful. You can just slip away into the pages and become a fly on the wall to Maisie's life. The Art of Running Away isn't just a book, it's a whole experience.

I believe this is Sabrina Kleckner's first book and I'm so in love with it that I will be grabbing her next book without hesitation. I can't even express how wonderful this book truly is. I hated to even finish it because I just wanted to stay in the story as long as I could.

I recommend this book to everyone. It's just a wonderful little read that has so much to offer.

*Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions for providing me with this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

This has certainly been one of the most surprising reads of the year for me—and I mean it in the very best way. I'm not usually one to read middle grade, however, the premise of The Art of Running Away made it seem like such a sweet coming-of-age novel that I couldn't pass up the chance to read it.

And I'm glad I didn't, because I got to follow spirited twelve-year-old Maisie, who loves working at her family's portrait shop and is shocked to be sent away for the summer to visit her aunt in Scotland. This summer visit quickly takes a turn when Maisie gets a chance to reconnect with her estranged ten years older brother and gains a whole new perspective into what it means to be a sister, a daughter and an ally.

As I've mentioned, this book touches heavily on conversations about allyship and family relations, particularly in LGBTQ+ topics, so be aware that there are discussions surrounding homophobia. Still this conversations are handled beautifully and in an age appropriate way. This does not mean that the book feels like a lecture, but rather you get to explore what it means for the characters to live in the world as their full selves.

The sibling dynamic between our MC, Maisie, and her brother, Calum, was definitely the winning element for me. It is rare for siblings to be portrayed in books in such an honest and tender way. Kleckner understands that sibling relationships can be messy, playful, complicated and wondrous—oftentimes all at the same time. There is a found family element to the book too—not gonna lie, one of my favorite tropes—that will probably resonate with a lot of people too.

I could rave about this book all day long—I definitely have done so already. But I'll end with this: The Art of Running Away is a beautiful novel that understands that everyone, no matter their age, can find power in love an acceptance. I truly believe this book will change the lives of so many children who will see themselves represented and understand that they are worthy of unconditional love.

[ 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 ...?

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
This book was really fun to read! I like Maisie as a main character, she felt like an authentic twelve year old, and the sibling relationship is pretty accurate. The parents behavior was a little inconsistent, but otherwise I felt like this was a good story about family and how kids have such pure ambition for the things they love. I didn’t feel like the story was going too slow or fast, so overall it was a good and easy read!

(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!