The Runaways

(Paperback)

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Publishing Details

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Description

I hate the food here, Grandpa said. Theyve taken all the joy out of it. Not even the water tastes any good. Perhaps you should run away, I suggested. I did a lot of that when I was young, he said. But I think its a bit late now... But by the time I had to leave for the bus, wed made a plan.

Reviews

"A touching, realistic, gently humorous story of how a sensitive boy copes with his treasured grandfathers decline."

-- Kirkus Review, starred

"Autumn-hued illustrations by Crowther (Stories of the Night) juxtapose the dull hospital against glorious piney islands and a light-filled sea. Stark straightforwardly conveys family tensions, end-of-life concerns, and intergenerational adoration alongside an archipelagos worth of vivid details."

-- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Deftly drawn and sometimes amusing, the character portrayals are utterly convincing. Expressive full-page illustrations add color to the pages while supporting the storys tone. An unusual adventure story with a core of mutual grandfather-grandson affection."

-- Booklist, starred review

"The writing is unflashy and deadpan except for when its unflashy and musical. Crowthers bright, nave pencil illustrations fit the offbeat text."

-- The New York Times

Author Bio

Ulf Stark was born in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1944. He wrote around thirty books for children and young adults, translated into more than twenty languages. He won many prizes in Sweden and internationally, including the German Youth Literature Prize and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.He was shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2018.

Kitty Crowther lives in Belgium. With English and Swedish parents, and born in Brussels, she has written and illustrated over forty books which have been translated into twenty languages and won many awards. In 2010, she received the worlds most prestigious prize for childrens literature: the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.